DECREES Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

decrees 1 of 2

noun

plural of decree

as in edicts

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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as in rulings

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

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decrees

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of decree

as in orders

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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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 decrees

Noun

Editors also printed speeches of major national and state political leaders as well as significant government documents, including sessions of state legislatures and governors’ decrees. —

Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026 But investors are taking a chance in tying their money to college sports at a time when there are unresolved and potentially transformative legal battles, with outcomes hinging less on economics than on judicial decrees. —

Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 1 May 2026 Under Díaz-Canel, the Cuban government has passed several laws and decrees to punish the sharing of opposition views, including on social media. —

Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026 Instead, the president governs by executive orders, emergency decrees, and extortionate transactions, using his power to reward his friends and punish his enemies. —

Gregg Nunziata, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026 On Sunday, thousands marched in Santiago in protest of Kast’s rollback of dozens of environmental decrees. —

News Desk, Artforum, 23 Mar. 2026 The decrees rolled back by Kast’s administration had been signed during the government of left-wing former Chilean leader Gabriel Boric, whom Kast replaced as president earlier this month. —

ABC News, 22 Mar. 2026 In the ruling, the appeals court ruled that one of Francis' decrees -- which allowed prosecutors to proceed without a preliminary judge overseeing their work -- amounted to a law that should have been published. —

Nicole Winfield The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 18 Mar. 2026 In the ruling, the appeals court ruled that one of Francis’ decrees — which allowed prosecutors to proceed without a preliminary judge overseeing their work — amounted to a law that should have been published. —

Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026

Verb

The plan would essentially give Ukraine NATO-style security guarantees modeled after the alliance’s Article 5, which decrees an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all. —

Kristina Karisch, The Hill, 18 Aug. 2025 Many of the faith decrees on climate have pointed to a need to go beyond technological solutions. —

The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Apr. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decrees

Noun

My worry is edicts from Hartford.

— Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
While many edicts are necessary to protect public safety, many more are redundant, wasteful and anti-competitive, piling on unnecessary costs and stymieing innovation.

— Editorial, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026