ordained; ordaining; ordains
1
: to invest (see invest entry 2 sense 1) officially (as by the laying on of hands) with ministerial or priestly authority
was ordained as a priest
2
a
: to establish or order by appointment, decree, or law : enact
we the people … do ordain and establish this Constitution—
U.S. Constitution
U.S. Constitution
b
: destine, foreordain
It is futile to try to avoid what destiny has ordained.
: to issue an order
so the gods have ordained
ordainer
noun
Examples of ordain in a Sentence
She is an ordained minister.
The process was ordained by law.
Recent Examples on the Web
For instance, the network included connections between cardinals who worked together in Vatican departments, between those who ordained, or were ordained by, another and between those who were friends.
—Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 11 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for ordain
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Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 11 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for ordain
Cite this Entry
“Ordain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ordain. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ordain
verb
or·dain
ȯr-ˈdān 
1
: to make a person a Christian minister or priest by a special ceremony
2
a
: decree entry 2
it was ordained by law
b
: destine sense 1
we seem ordained to fail
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