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
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
Born in Dover, Delaware, Hutchins began preaching at just 8 years old and was ordained by age 12.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ordain
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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
Born in Dover, Delaware, Hutchins began preaching at just 8 years old and was ordained by age 12.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 June 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 2 Jul. 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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