ENJOIN Synonyms: 140 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'enjoin' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of enjoin are bid , charge , command , direct , instruct , and order . While all these words mean "to issue orders," enjoin implies giving an order or direction authoritatively and urgently and often with admonition or solicitude. // a sign enjoining patrons to be quiet

Q: When can 'bid' be used instead of 'enjoin'?

Although the words bid and enjoin have much in common, bid suggests giving orders peremptorily (as to children or servants). // she bade him be seated

Q: How do 'charge' and 'enjoin' relate to one another?

Charge adds to enjoin an implication of imposing as a duty or responsibility. // charged by the President with a secret mission

Q: How are the words 'command' and 'order' related as synonyms of 'enjoin'?

Both command and order imply authority and usually some degree of formality and impersonality; command stresses official exercise of authority. // a general commanding troops

Q: How does the word 'direct' relate to its synonym 'instruct', in the sense of 'enjoin'?

Direct and instruct both connote expectation of obedience and usually concern specific points of procedure or method, instruct sometimes implying greater explicitness or formality. // directed her assistant to hold all calls // the judge instructed the jury to ignore the remark

Q: Where would 'order' be a reasonable alternative to 'enjoin'?

While the synonyms order and enjoin are close in meaning, order may suggest peremptory or arbitrary exercise. // ordered his employees about like slaves

enjoin

verb

in-ˈjȯin

Definition of enjoin

as in to demand

to ask for (something) earnestly or with authority police enjoined the community's full cooperation in getting rid of the drug dealers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to instruct

to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority undeterred, the captain enjoined his crew to sail at full speed into the mine-filled harbor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to prohibit

to order not to do or use or to be done or used Quakerism enjoins the taking of human life

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb enjoin contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of enjoin are bid, charge, command, direct, instruct, and order. While all these words mean "to issue orders," enjoin implies giving an order or direction authoritatively and urgently and often with admonition or solicitude.

a sign enjoining patrons to be quiet

When can bid be used instead of enjoin?

Although the words bid and enjoin have much in common, bid suggests giving orders peremptorily (as to children or servants).

she bade him be seated

How do charge and enjoin relate to one another?

Charge adds to enjoin an implication of imposing as a duty or responsibility.

charged by the President with a secret mission

How are the words command and order related as synonyms of enjoin?

Both command and order imply authority and usually some degree of formality and impersonality; command stresses official exercise of authority.

a general commanding troops

How does the word direct relate to its synonym instruct, in the sense of enjoin?

Direct and instruct both connote expectation of obedience and usually concern specific points of procedure or method, instruct sometimes implying greater explicitness or formality.

directed her assistant to hold all calls

the judge instructed the jury to ignore the remark

Where would order be a reasonable alternative to enjoin?

While the synonyms order and enjoin are close in meaning, order may suggest peremptory or arbitrary exercise.

ordered his employees about like slaves

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 enjoin Accordingly, the State is currently enjoined from carrying out congressional elections under the current map. — Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026 The result will be a legal race to see which of those courts enjoins the policy first. — John E. Jones Iii, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026 And that relief would be to sue to enjoin the parties from closing the transaction. — Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026 Yale psychologist and researcher Stanley Milgram demonstrated that good people will do bad things if enjoined to do so by an authority. — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for enjoin

Recent Examples of Synonyms for enjoin

Verb

The parents, represented by the law firm Rosen Saba, demand a jury trial, exemplary and punitive damages and civil and statutory penalties.

— Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 9 July 2026
With inflation squeezing their margins and rideshare platforms demanding a large share of their earnings, a driver’s split-second decision to accept a fare is a high-stakes calculation of business survival.

— Christopher S. Tang, The Conversation, 8 July 2026

Definition of demand

Verb

People are instructed to scan the QR link on the letter that will lead them to a list of available appointments to reschedule their test.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
The agency has instructed contractors that families at the facility cannot be referred to as prisoners, detainees or inmates, records show.

— JACK BROOK, ABC News, 6 July 2026

Definition of instruct

Verb

The law states that third parties conducting the age verification are prohibited from retaining identifying information from users.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
The attorney, Greg Smith, told The Times that Los Angeles prosecutors are weighing charges against his client for allegedly violating a state law that prohibits recording conversations without the consent of those involved.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026

Definition of prohibit

Verb

The deployment aims to reduce the time required for general visual inspections while improving consistency across repetitive maintenance tasks.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 July 2026
The directives also require the companies to remove, within 45 days, the millions of pounds of rotting food inside the warehouse.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026

Definition of require

Verb

That kind of granular information is important for emergency responders in the field and planners who make decisions about calling for extra help or ordering evacuations.

— Eric Niiler, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Americans across the nation are being asked (or ordered) to conserve water, thanks to widespread drought made even worse by a punishing heat wave.

— Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 5 July 2026

Definition of order

Verb

Anyone attempting to think seriously about Elon Musk is confronted with a forbidding cognitive dissonance.

— Mark O’Connell, The New York Review of Books, 4 July 2026
Entertainment Weekly has learned that at least one NYC restaurant that provided catering to the wedding was forbidden from discussing its involvement in the event due to an NDA.

— Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 July 2026

Definition of forbid

Verb

Kenneth Malin, the West Cedar Creek MUD’s general manager, did not respond to a message requesting comment on the district’s discussions with Diode.

— Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 July 2026
The notice requested all evidence that had not been displayed publicly be shown again – and that additional evidence introduced during the case also be made public.

— Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 11 July 2026

Definition of request

Browse Nearby Words

enigmatic

enjoin

enjoined

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Enjoin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enjoin. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of enjoin

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on enjoin

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

implacable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes