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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 The lawsuit wants a judge to declare the committee letter unconstitutional and enjoin the university from producing any documents. Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025 Because these two aspects of monogamy are so often enjoined among humans, they are considered two sides of the same coin. Nathan H. Lents, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Apr. 2025 Consequently, the court enjoined the federal government from implementing or enforcing the executive order. Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025 Though grant funding may be at risk under the order, terminating grants to organizations in the private sector is now permanently enjoined by a recent court order, according to the PowerPoint. Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for enjoin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enjoin
Verb
  • His quest for affirmation demands a constant nursing of fear, and his life out of the spotlight has not cured him of that.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 8 May 2025
  • To demand that every new formulation be tested against an inert placebo would mean turning back the clock to reproduce trials that may have taken place decades ago, but resulted in the licensing of the original vaccine after safety and efficacy were established.
    Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025
Verb
  • That’s evidently false in the cases involving the Alien Enemies Act—last month, the Supreme Court instructed that challenges to Trump’s actions had to be brought as habeas cases.
    Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 12 May 2025
  • His work far from finished, Jim is immediately instructed to reach into Royce’s open chest cavity and aid in the surgery.
    Judy Berman, Time, 12 May 2025
Verb
  • Hoffman previously sponsored legislation that prohibited state and local agencies from enacting vaccine mandates.
    Mary Hudetz, ProPublica, 2 May 2025
  • The agency also prohibited the simultaneous use of runways 15/33 and 4/22 when helicopters conducting urgent missions are operating near DCA.
    Alexandra Koch , Chad Pergram , Grady Trimble, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • Technical safety oversight roles often require highly skilled professionals who have other employment prospects, and a sense of mission and stability plays a major role in drawing and keeping such talent, Connery argued.
    Davis Winkie, USA Today, 19 May 2025
  • Being a stenographer requires strong time management.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 18 May 2025
Verb
  • Studios and streamers also aren't ordering as many shows these days.
    Mandalit del Barco, NPR, 17 May 2025
  • Bronx Criminal Court Judge Audrey Stone on Wednesday ordered that Jeremy Cortorreal spend the next two decades behind bars for killing Lisette Gomez back on March 21, 2023.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
Verb
  • An Illinois High School Association bylaw forbids that.
    Bobby Narang, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2025
  • For one, the law does not expressly forbid successive interim appointments.
    Charlie Savage, New York Times, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • The analysis, requested by Councilmembers Nithya Raman and Soto-Martínez, would have explored whether to allow the hotel to keep a share of the tax revenues generated by the new tower.
    David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2025
  • Records from interstate child safety authorities are being requested by the police, according to the outlet.
    Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo told reporters she was caught off guard by the news, and has asked the prosecutor's office to ask the U.S. Department of Justice for more information.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • Norman was allegedly dragged about a half-mile up the road before he was eventually ejected from the vehicle, the police told the outlets.
    Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 14 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Enjoin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enjoin. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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