1
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

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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

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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 Most of his time was either in Peru or in Rome, so his experience was -- while growing up American, his experience after college and certainly after being ordained a priest was -- was always much more global, much more international. Isabel Danzis, ABC News, 11 May 2025 But Prevost opposes ordaining women as deacons, for instance, so he's seen as conservative on church doctrine. May 8, CBS News, 9 May 2025 Equality for women Like his predecessor, Leo opposes the idea of ordaining female deacons. Rachel Treisman, NPR, 9 May 2025 Born and raised in Chicago, Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1981. Asher Notheis, The Washington Examiner, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ordain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordain
Verb
  • The Blues can also free up the requested cap space, if needed, with Torey Krug destined for LTIR.
    James Mirtle, New York Times, 2 June 2025
  • Isole e Olena has 103 acres of vines located at 1150 to 1640 feet above sea level, but grapes from less than one quarter of those are destined for this Super Tuscan bottling.
    Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • Alongside the 12-year sentence, U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips ordered Zuberi pay close to $16 million in restitution and a nearly $2 million fine.
    Tara Suter, The Hill, 29 May 2025
  • The area includes buffer zones along the border with Israel as well as the southern city of Rafah, which is now mostly uninhabited, and other large areas that Israel has ordered to be evacuated.
    Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
Verb
  • However, it wasn’t ultimately enacted by the last Congress.
    Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • Andrew Harnik/Getty Images House Majority Leader Steve Scalise formally introduced legislation to enact President Donald Trump's $9.4 billion rescissions package on Friday, setting up a floor vote as early as Tuesday.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Throughout last season, when the Chiefs were attempting to become the NFL’s first three-peat champion in the Super Bowl era, everyone in the city — players, fans and employees of the team — had to start contemplating if Arrowhead’s future was doomed.
    Nate Taylor, New York Times, 30 May 2025
  • Either of these is enough to doom Democrats’ already-tenuous chance at the Governor’s Mansion.
    South Florida Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 29 May 2025
Verb
  • Outside researchers can request access to VSD data by submitting study proposals to the CDC.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
  • Banerjee did not respond to emails requesting comment from The Bee.
    Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Given his skill in possession and ability to pass long, replacing Schar will not be an easy — or cheap — task.
    Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 June 2025
  • Also, Congress never managed to pass legislations such as the PRO Act that would have lowered obstacles to organizing and helped increase density, particularly in the private sector.
    Jim Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ordain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordain. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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