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
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
He was ordained in 1968 and received his divinity degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in 2000.
—
Hannah Hudnall, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
Jackson was with King before his assassination in April 1968, and was ordained as a Reverend in June that same year.
—Olivia-Anne Cleary, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
Jackson is ordained as a Baptist minister.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
That year, he was ordained a minister.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordain
Hannah Hudnall, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
Jackson was with King before his assassination in April 1968, and was ordained as a Reverend in June that same year.
—Olivia-Anne Cleary, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
Jackson is ordained as a Baptist minister.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
That year, he was ordained a minister.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordain
Verb
-
Should the Warriors want to play their 38-year-old superstar in the late stages of a campaign that appears destined to end in the play-in tournament?—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Zazie Beetz trained for months to pull off the admittedly jaw-dropping (and often jaw-shattering) fight sequences, and if every actor is now destined to become an action star for 15 minutes, the Atlanta veteran has earned her spotlight.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
He was ordered to be remanded and is due back in court on the conspiracy charge on May 4.—
Katie Houlis,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
In the terms of his bond conditions, prosecutors ordered Ludwig to stay off the airport’s premises, according to the court document.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In June, the administration enacted a travel ban on 19 countries -- mostly majority-Muslim countries and those with a contentious relationship with the United States, such as Cuba.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Mar. 2026
-
If Social Security reform is not enacted before then, policymakers may face a tough choice as to how to implement benefit cuts.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Maybe she was doomed, and her children doomed, to be held captive to this fate forever.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The ability to read and comprehend is a foundational skill without which students are doomed to fail in mathematics and other subject matters.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Barron, who turned 20 on March 20, also listed Mar-a-Lago as his address and requested a mail-in ballot on March 14, voter records show.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Call 305-415-3896 to request a safety walk.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Mike Johnson’s razor-thin margin The margin is a top concern for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on any legislation that reaches the House floor, but especially with any bill passing through reconciliation.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Mar. 2026
-
If passed, the bill would dissolve Hiram in July 2027.—
Monique John,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ordain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordain. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
