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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 And can they be legally enjoined from ever being involved in city planning again? Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2025 Casper enjoined the administration from implementing new rules mandating documentary proof of citizenship in federal voter registration forms. Ella Lee, The Hill, 13 June 2025 By contrast, the public interest is served if the Court enjoins Defendants from further militarizing California’s communities to allow State and local law enforcement to fulfill their duties to enforce State law. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 10 June 2025 Under a two-page temporary restraining order granted to Harvard, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs enjoined Trump's proclamation from taking effect pending further litigation of the matter amid an escalating dispute between the Ivy League school and the Republican president. Nate Raymond, USA Today, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for enjoin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enjoin
Verb
  • Instead of debating issues, candidates would be demanding that those behind them in the polls drop out or risk playing spoiler.
    Andrew Yang, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • Trump previously demanded allies double their spending goals to 4% of GDP in 2018.
    Nino Paoli, Fortune, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Before doing anything else, inspect the inside of the grill for any grease build-up, Carothers instructs.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2025
  • The order instructed federal agencies not to grant passports or official documents to such children — a dramatic break from over 150 years of legal precedent.
    Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Swimming in Liberty Reservoir is prohibited because of the dangers posed by the deep water, which can also get extremely cold in places due to its depth.
    Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 6 July 2025
  • It would also be prohibited from creating any substitute organizations.
    Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • While tomato plants require full sun for the best performance, the fruits themselves do not require sun exposure to ripen.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 5 July 2025
  • Just unfold the walls and connect them together—no sawing, drilling, or hard hat required.
    Rylee Johnston, Travel + Leisure, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • The company has been ordering fireworks a year in advance, Marietta said.
    Tim Hrenchir, USA Today, 1 July 2025
  • Some of those claims were dismissed by a judge in 2024, but the lawsuit was still ordered to move forward; in June, however, Lizzo filed an appeal aimed at shutting it down for good on the grounds that the dancers’ claims clashed with her First Amendment rights.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • It is completely verboten and forbidden to any human being.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 30 June 2025
  • Sweeping fiscal moves of this kind are traditionally restricted by the Byrd Rule, adopted in 1985, which limits the sort of policies that can be folded into bills passed through reconciliation, and forbids legislation from adding to the nation's deficit beyond 10 years.
    Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • The expansion fee is a record $250 million, according to two sources who requested anonymity because the discussions were private.
    Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 30 June 2025
  • At his second federal hearing, on Friday morning, Boelter’s detention and preliminary hearing was rescheduled to Wednesday after his legal team requested a continuance, CBS News reported.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • The Dolphins were taking Fitzpatrick, Grier told owner Steve Ross, then head coach Adam Gase and team czar Mike Tannenbaum.
    Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
  • The judge told the court that the jury would be given an answer on Tuesday.
    Tracy Wright , Lauryn Overhultz , Maria Paronich , Brendan McDonald, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Enjoin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enjoin. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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