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
Leo was ordained in 1981 as a member of the Order of Saint Augustine.
—
Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 4 June 2025
The Catholic leader, ordained in 1981 as a member of the Order of Saint Augustine, was elected pope on May 8 to succeed Pope Francis, who died in April of a stroke and heart failure, according to a death certificate written by a Vatican doctor released in late April.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 12 June 2025
His brother John became a Catholic school principal in Chicago, and Louis was serving in the U.S. Navy when Leo was ordained as a priest in 1982.
—Jesus Mesa
gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025
Prevost was ordained to the priesthood in Rome in 1982.
—Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ordain
Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 4 June 2025
The Catholic leader, ordained in 1981 as a member of the Order of Saint Augustine, was elected pope on May 8 to succeed Pope Francis, who died in April of a stroke and heart failure, according to a death certificate written by a Vatican doctor released in late April.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 12 June 2025
His brother John became a Catholic school principal in Chicago, and Louis was serving in the U.S. Navy when Leo was ordained as a priest in 1982.
—Jesus Mesa
gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025
Prevost was ordained to the priesthood in Rome in 1982.
—Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ordain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordain
Verb
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Fast-forward to today, and the latest Mini to come from Wood & Pickett is destined for the garage of model, fashion entrepreneur – and noted car guy – David Gandy.—
Alistair Charlton,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
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Otherwise, they are destined to be remembered as useless and timid wimps as the U.S. was slouching toward a dictatorship.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 June 2025
Verb
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Some of those claims were dismissed by a judge in 2024, but the lawsuit was still ordered to move forward; in June, however, Lizzo filed an appeal aimed at shutting it down for good on the grounds that the dancers’ claims clashed with her First Amendment rights.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
1 July 2025
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The company has been ordering fireworks a year in advance, Marietta said.—
Tim Hrenchir,
USA Today,
1 July 2025
Verb
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But this is the most restrictive outdoor ban ever to be enacted.—
Eleanor Beardsley,
NPR,
30 June 2025
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Another bill that would have authorized Gov. Ned Lamont to enact a bear hunt in Connecticut based on a future recommendation from DEEP also died on the Senate calendar earlier this month.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
30 June 2025
Verb
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But in 1931, the German mathematician Kurt Gödel demonstrated that any interesting system of mathematical axioms is doomed to incompleteness.—
Gregory Barber,
Quanta Magazine,
20 June 2025
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The Hornets nearly lost the program in the early 1990s amid sweeping budget cuts that doomed a number of statewide college football programs in California, but a student referendum saved the sport.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2025
Verb
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The expansion fee is a record $250 million, according to two sources who requested anonymity because the discussions were private.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
30 June 2025
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At his second federal hearing, on Friday morning, Boelter’s detention and preliminary hearing was rescheduled to Wednesday after his legal team requested a continuance, CBS News reported.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
30 June 2025
Verb
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Wine and beer are complimentary at lunch and dinner and are often paired with the entrees to reflect the region the cruise was passing through.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 June 2025
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Hopkins, more of a prototypical pocket passer, seemed to have a strong connection with star tight end Mark Bowman — a passing display between the duo that was featured early in Mater Dei’s contests.—
Benjamin Royer,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ordain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordain. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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