decree 1 of 2

noun

di-ˈkrē How to pronounce decree (audio)
Definition of decreenext
1
as in edict
a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned the boss doesn't give out many decrees, but he does expect those that are issued to be fully obeyed

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2
as in ruling
an order publicly issued by an authority a decree issued by the state's supreme court to the legislature

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decree

2 of 2

verb

as in to order
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority the new supervisor decreed that thenceforth coffee breaks would have a 15-minute limit

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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 decree
Noun
Musk made no immediate comment on the award, which was announced by presidential decree. — ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026 Owners may feel pressed into repairs The Kremlin’s exact intentions with the decree are unclear. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
What if, God forbid, a fascist government decreed that unmarried people could have sex on just one night of the year? — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 5 Aug. 2026 First, lawmakers decreed that veterans on the GI Bill could make up no more than 85 percent of the students in a course, and that schools had to charge the same tuition for veterans and nonveterans alike. — Andrew Ba Tran, Washington Post, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for decree
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decree
  1. edict
  2. ruling
  3. order
  4. instruction
  5. directive
  6. request
  7. injunction
  8. decision
Noun
  • Countless speakers left the Pale of Settlement – the territory in Eastern Europe where Jews had been granted permission to live under an edict of the Russian czars.
    — Ilan Stavans, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The president’s orders and edicts have no basis in reality, are nonsensical and are making our nation significantly less safe.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of edict
Noun
  • The Thursday ruling came after Democrats and voting rights groups filed a fresh round of lawsuits to comply with the recent Supreme Court decision.
    — Lindsay Whitehurst, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Conor Fitzpatrick, an attorney with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which brought the lawsuit, praised the ruling.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of ruling
Verb
  • Even though Vaughn's initial plea was not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, and a mental status exam was ordered, no pretrial tests were done.
    — Brett Barrouquere, Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026
  • In a similar format to Family Feud, TopClubTen gives you ten top answers, ordered by amount, recency, value, and so on.
    — Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of order
Noun
  • Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have uncovered a new processor attack that can bypass defenses in Intel and AMD chips by exploiting a security gap lasting only a handful of instructions.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • John’s hacking skills prove useful, as does the T-800’s extensive firepower—although per John’s instructions, there are zero human fatalities.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of instruction
Noun
  • Justice Department attorneys have argued that a restraining order would be inappropriate and that the legal challenge was premature, as federal agencies had yet to issue public guidance on how the president's directive would be implemented.
    — Kristina Cooke, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Nearly one-third of Americans vote by mail and election officials contend there isn’t enough time to revise their systems to comply with the new Postal Service directives.
    — Lindsay Whitehurst, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of directive
Verb
  • Sustained gunfire began past midnight at the premises of the Diori Hamani International Airport, which hosts a major military base, according to an AP witness who requested anonymity for safety reasons.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The group requested agreements among MPEA, arena operator Oak View Group, the Chicago Sky and the WNBA.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of request
Noun
  • Talwani, nominated to the bench by former President Obama, reluctantly removed the second injunction shortly after.
    — Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The agency initially said the rule would not apply to the midterm election unless injunctions from lower courts were lifted; those were both lifted this week.
    — Caitlin Babcock, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of injunction
Noun
  • Kroenke’s decision to purchase the Angels at a record $4 billion valuation has not impacted Trout’s plans to remain in Southern California.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The games present overly simplified worlds devoid of civilians, children, and animals, and there are no lasting consequences for players’ decisions.
    — Susan Page, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of decision

Browse Nearby Words

decreasingly
decree
decreed
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Cite this Entry

“Decree.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decree. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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