1
as in to destine
to determine the fate of in advance
he is stoic in the face of adversity, bolstered by his faith that everything in life has been ordained by a higher power
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to order
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority
a new bill that would ordain the funding of public schools through state lottery revenues
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to enact
to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action
the founders of the African republic ordained a form of government that was closely modeled on that of the United States
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ordain
Her parents, Baptist deacons who ultimately left the church over its refusal to ordain women, raised their children to wrestle with such questions.
—
Pamela Colloff,
ProPublica,
30 June 2026
After the war, he was ordained and served as a minister at the Steele Creek Presbyterian Church from 1804 until his death in 1827.
—
Charlotte Observer,
23 June 2026
In 1962, Lazowski was ordained and served as the spiritual leader of Beth Shalom Synagogue in Hartford until 1969.
—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2026
John Rahimi, Raymond Grieshaber, and Conrad Espino were ordained on Saturday morning during a ceremony at Holy Name Cathedral on the city's Near North Side.
—
Cbs Chicago Team,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordain
Pamela Colloff,
ProPublica,
30 June 2026
After the war, he was ordained and served as a minister at the Steele Creek Presbyterian Church from 1804 until his death in 1827.
—
Charlotte Observer,
23 June 2026
In 1962, Lazowski was ordained and served as the spiritual leader of Beth Shalom Synagogue in Hartford until 1969.
—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2026
John Rahimi, Raymond Grieshaber, and Conrad Espino were ordained on Saturday morning during a ceremony at Holy Name Cathedral on the city's Near North Side.
—
Cbs Chicago Team,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordain
Verb
-
The Detroit Tigers’ winning run stood at first base in the bottom of the ninth inning of a 3-3 game when Matt Vierling’s line drive seemed destined for the left-center field gap in Comerica Park’s expansive outfield.
-
Bolstered by a $10 million advertising campaign, the works were destined to be shown in a series of one hundred and fifty exhibitions and events intended to counter Americans’ derisive views of Mexico.
Verb
-
That kind of granular information is important for emergency responders in the field and planners who make decisions about calling for extra help or ordering evacuations.
-
Americans across the nation are being asked (or ordered) to conserve water, thanks to widespread drought made even worse by a punishing heat wave.
Verb
-
The Islamic Republic is expected to enact unprecedented security measures, overseen by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, while the Basij paramilitary force will coordinate logistics, accommodation and crowd management across the various cities.
-
Passed as the second of three Reconstruction amendments, the 14th Amendment was enacted after the Civil War.
Verb
-
Having a disagreement doesn’t mean your relationship is doomed, Cancer.
-
That gambit, however, could doom the defense bill, which authorizes key national security programs.
Verb
-
If travel or study calls, sketch the first steps and request time to explore them.
-
Residents also are requested to limit their consumption to 65 gallons per person per day.
Verb
-
The council would then examine the details surrounding the change before passing an ordinance expanding those voting rights.
-
Congress passed a law making Independence Day a federal holiday on June 28, 1870.
Cite this Entry
“Ordain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordain. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
