1
as in destining
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 ordering
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 enacting
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 Synonyms for ordaining
Verb
-
Vibrations from earth-moving equipment could have triggered further collapses, possibly dooming Gil — and his would-be rescuers.
-
The Philadelphia Phillies slugger did exactly that in the second inning with two on and two out, taking a 92 MPH fastball 418 feet into the right field seats, dooming the Mets in a 6-2 loss Sunday night.
Verb
-
Get $25 off catering orders of $250 or more from July 3–5 with code CATER250 when ordering in-app or online.
-
The suspect, identified only as Innocent S under German privacy rules, is accused of ordering the deaths of 25 Tutsis on five separate occasions while serving as an assistant to the mayor of Kayove in northwestern Rwanda.
Verb
-
In response, Congress expanded federal power by enacting the Ku Klux Klan Acts of 1870 and 1871.
-
Japan is enacting its most significant security policy shift since 1954, transitioning from a narrowly defensive posture to robust deterrence.
Verb
-
Other signs of scam communications include requesting money or sensitive information, threatening legal action or arrest or pressuring the victim to take immediate action, a Microsoft spokesperson told the Herald.
-
According to the lawsuit, Perdue sent a cease-and-desist letter to Soules on June 9, requesting that the company stopped using the packaging featuring the nuggets and hand gesture.
Verb
-
However, the bill was so contentious that in order to squeak it through, legislators stuffed it full of carve-outs and exemptions, allowing cities to delay implementation by passing their own plans to add density.
-
Rather than moving directly to their new institution, many spend days or weeks passing through federal transfer centers and local detention facilities before reaching their final destination.
Cite this Entry
“Ordaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordaining. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
