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
Many African Anglican churches refuse to ordain female priests.
—
Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Mullally was ordained in 2001 and left the government three years later for church roles at Salisbury Cathedral and then becoming only the fourth woman bishop in the Church of England as the Suffragan Bishop of Crediton in the Diocese of Exeter.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Mullally became a Christian at age 16 and worked as a nurse before being ordained.
—Elizabeth Pritchett , Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Qualified people who could be priests except for archaic laws that no longer serve us continue to wait to be invited into the ranks of those who have been ordained.
—Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ordain
Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Mullally was ordained in 2001 and left the government three years later for church roles at Salisbury Cathedral and then becoming only the fourth woman bishop in the Church of England as the Suffragan Bishop of Crediton in the Diocese of Exeter.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Mullally became a Christian at age 16 and worked as a nurse before being ordained.
—Elizabeth Pritchett , Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Qualified people who could be priests except for archaic laws that no longer serve us continue to wait to be invited into the ranks of those who have been ordained.
—Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ordain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordain
Verb
-
Such institutions may be destined to pass away.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Contributor Yelena Moroz Alpert says this Dyson Animal 3 saved a dirty carpet in her home that was destined for the dumpster.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Guests can order the complimentary coffee in-bakery, through the mobile app, or online using code FREECOFFEE.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
11 Nov. 2025
-
The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday ordered a reduction in flights due to stress on unpaid air traffic controllers.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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If enacted, many of the policies laid out could significantly alter the day-to-day lives of NASA workers and transform the 67-year-old agency.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
-
But thus far, the promise has yet to be enacted by his Administration.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Our findings don’t suggest that every workplace romance is doomed or exploitative.—
Emily Nix,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
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Like Crazy is a movie about how destructive an obsessive relationship can be, and because Samantha is the sane one in the ensemble, she’s doomed.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In Akita, local authorities requested formal military assistance from Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, saying their existing measures – including box traps and bear repellent sprays – weren’t enough.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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Customers whose flights are canceled for any reason are able to request a refund without any penalty.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In response, Delaware last March passed a law to make the state more alluring, to which Texas quickly counter-punched with an even friendlier law.—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
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No ordinance was passed that declared the bottom 5 percent of Burgher children (later raised to 10) superfluous, but this was the beginning of a long period of economic contraction throughout the empire, and competition for a dwindling supply of guild positions became intense.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ordain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordain. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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