commandment

noun

com·​mand·​ment kə-ˈman(d)-mənt How to pronounce commandment (audio)
1
: the act or power of commanding
2
: something that is commanded
especially : one of the biblical Ten Commandments

Examples of commandment in a Sentence

the Ten Commandments in the Bible the boss left behind a list of commandments for running the office while he was away
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
However, the issue of posting the commandments in schools first surfaced in 1980. Lydia Artz, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025 The pomegranate contains all the commandments of God in its seeds; the divine inhabits it. Demir Alp, JSTOR Daily, 29 Aug. 2025 In fact, Faulkner even established her own set of principles, known as Epic’s 10 commandments, that are plastered all over the company’s sprawling 1,670-acre campus. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2025 These are the first three of the 10 commandments splashed across bathrooms and breakrooms at Epic Systems’ sprawling 1,670-acre campus in Verona, Wisconsin, just southwest of Madison. Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 16 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for commandment

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of commandment was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Commandment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commandment. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

commandment

noun
com·​mand·​ment kə-ˈman(d)-mənt How to pronounce commandment (audio)
: something commanded
especially : one of the biblical Ten Commandments

More from Merriam-Webster on commandment

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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