order

1 the way objects in space or events in time are arranged or follow one another <you always keep your books in perfect alphabetical order> <we haven't found out the order of the speeches yet> Synonyms arrangement, array, disposal, disposition, distribution, ordering, sequence, setup Related Words continuity; precedence, priority; chain, procession, progression, succession; series; aligning (also alining), alignment (also alinement), lining up; design, layout, pattern, structure, system Near Antonyms confusion, disorder, disorganization, disruption, upset; disconnection, disjointedness

2 a group of persons formally joined together for some common interest <a religious order> Synonyms board, brotherhood, chamber, club, college, congress, consortium, council, fellowship, fraternity, guild (also gild), institute, institution, league, association, organization, society, sodalityRelated Words collective, commune, community, cooperative; alliance, bloc, camp, coalition, partnership; body, cadre, group; circle, clan, clique, coterie, junta, junto, klatch (also klatsch), lot, set; crew, outfit, party, squad, team; branch, chapter, local; faithful, fold, membership; sisterhood, sorority; cabal, camarilla, camorra, confederacy, conspiracy; band, gang, ring; cartel, combine, syndicate

3 a number of persons or things that are grouped together because they have something in common <collects movie posters, photographs and autographs of the stars, and other memorabilia of that order> Synonyms breed, class, description, feather, genre, ilk, kidney, kind, like, manner, nature, sort, species, strain, stripe, type, varietyRelated Words model; sample, specimen; bracket, bunch, category, division, family, grade, group, grouping, lot, persuasion, rank(s), set, suite

4 a piece of metal given in honor of a special event, a person, or an achievement <a book with full-color illustrations of British orders and decorations> Synonyms medallion, medalRelated Words decoration, honor; crown, insignia, laurel, ribbon, title; bronze, gold, silver; badge, button, chevron, clasp, cockade, color, ensign, rosette, star; distinction; award, prize, trophy; citation, commendation

5 a state of being or fitness <finally got the car back in working order> Synonyms estate, fettle, form, health, keeping, kilter, nick [British], condition, repair, shape, trimRelated Words practice (also practise); pass, phase, stage; footing, picture, posture, scene, status, situation; rank, standingNear Antonyms disorder, disrepair

6 a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned <the commander issued an order that the number of guards for the prisoner be doubled> Synonyms behest, charge, commandment, decree, dictate, direction, directive, do, edict, imperative, injunction, instruction, command, wordRelated Words demand, requirement; mandate; countermand, counterorder; law, precept, prescript, prescription, rule; ordinance, regulation, statuteNear Antonyms appeal, entreaty, petition, plea, urging; proposal, recommendation, suggestion

7 one of the segments of society into which people are grouped <the lower orders were once expected to be content living out their lives as servants to the upper classes> Synonyms caste, estate, folk, gentry, class, stratumRelated Words bracket, echelon, grade, layer, level, tier; place, position, rank, standing, status; food chain, grouping, hierarchy, stratification; clan, family, fraternity, people, race, tribe; subcaste

8 one of the units into which a whole is divided on the basis of a common characteristic <regards draftees as an entirely different order of soldier and less desirable than volunteers> Synonyms bracket, category, classification, division, family, genus, grade, group, kind, league, class, rank(s), rubric, set, species, tier, typeRelated Words description, feather, ilk, kidney, like, manner, nature, sort; branch, section, speciality, specialty, subclass, subdivision, subgroup, subspecies, variety; breed, race; generation; heading, label, title