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
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Recent Examples of ordain
His old mentor called him from Atlanta — the same man who had helped him get ordained the year before.
—
Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2025
Alexander came to believe that God had ordained him to save Europe, and also all of humanity and Christianity.
—James Verini, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2025
Friends suggested moving in with Geller; one of the first women ordained by the college, Geller had been offering her four-bedroom home to students since 2020.
—Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2025
Reforms on the table include how to give greater roles to women in the Catholic Church, including ordaining them as deacons, and the greater inclusion of laity in governance and decision making.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ordain
Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2025
Alexander came to believe that God had ordained him to save Europe, and also all of humanity and Christianity.
—James Verini, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2025
Friends suggested moving in with Geller; one of the first women ordained by the college, Geller had been offering her four-bedroom home to students since 2020.
—Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2025
Reforms on the table include how to give greater roles to women in the Catholic Church, including ordaining them as deacons, and the greater inclusion of laity in governance and decision making.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ordain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordain
Verb
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Cassandra is a clairvoyant who needs to protect three young women who are destined to develop superpowers who are targeted by a powerful assassin.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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Douthat Trump Is on a Path to Failure The fact that Trump survived bad trajectories before doesn’t mean that this one is destined to reverse.—
David Pierson Joao Silva Julia Jacobs Ross Douthat,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Duke and Duchess of Windsor ordered pieces that were full of personality and wit.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2025
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The shift comes after reports that the cuts were ordered by Jeremy Lewin, a close ally of Elon Musk, who now oversees USAID under Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Republicans are hoping to raise the nation’s borrowing limit, which caps how much money the Treasury Department can owe to pay the country’s bills, by up to $5 trillion this year as part of a larger package to extend expiring tax cuts enacted through Trump’s signature 2017 tax law.—
Aris Folley,
The Hill,
18 Apr. 2025
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The Florida Sheriff's Association announced in February that all county jails had signed agreements in compliance with a state law enacted in 2022.—
Julia Ingram,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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But the effort is almost certainly doomed, since Democrats need Republican signatures to hit the 218 threshold, and Luna isn’t signing on this time after cutting the deal with Johnson on vote pairing.—
Emily Brooks,
The Hill,
8 Apr. 2025
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Is a player’s title hopes doomed by a double bogey?—
Bob Spear,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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During the course of the case, Grossman requested a wide range of documentation, related to OSA records, the alleged victim’s mental health, her email communication with Taylor and her hospital records, according to court filings.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2025
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As his May 5 trial looms, Combes earlier this week requested a postponement of the legal proceeding.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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On Capitol Hill, details are still under wraps as Republican lawmakers this year try to pass a major tax and spending bill that is seen as the primary vehicle for Trump's second-term agenda.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2025
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Photo: Ash James As an expansive, 2,000-acre estate that’s been passed down through the same family for generations, São Lourenço do Barrocal offers perhaps the most authentic introduction to the region.—
Monica Mendal,
Vogue,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ordain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordain. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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