1
as in to destine
to determine the fate of in advance
he is stoic in the face of adversity, bolstered by his faith that everything in life has been ordained by a higher power
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to order
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority
a new bill that would ordain the funding of public schools through state lottery revenues
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to enact
to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action
the founders of the African republic ordained a form of government that was closely modeled on that of the United States
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 ordain
He was ordained a Baptist a minister in 1968.
—
Patricio Chile, ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
That year, he was ordained a minister.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 17 Feb. 2026
Torres was born in 1929 to a wealthy family in Bogota, and was ordained a priest in the 1950s.
—Manuel Rueda, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
Hicks was ordained as a priest May 21, 1994, in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordain
Patricio Chile, ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
That year, he was ordained a minister.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 17 Feb. 2026
Torres was born in 1929 to a wealthy family in Bogota, and was ordained a priest in the 1950s.
—Manuel Rueda, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
Hicks was ordained as a priest May 21, 1994, in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordain
Verb
-
Gosling is a beautiful crier, and his character’s journey seems destined to end in tears.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
-
In other words, everything about you, including your body and mind, is destined to eventually break down.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Pull up a chair and order a plate of crispy fried chicken, followed by a doorstop of red velvet cake.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Iran was clearly prepared, especially after the Twelve-Day War, last June, when the President ordered B-2 stealth warplanes to drop bunker-busting bombs on nuclear facilities in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan.—
Robin Wright,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Instead, California government has preferred to move quickly to enact laws to limit indoor residential water use.—
Daniel Kolkey,
Oc Register,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Kaup said several neighboring communities — including Highland Park, Deerfield and Vernon Hills — have enacted similar bans.—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Leaders today should remember the story of Neville Chamberlain because, as George Santayana said, whoever shall forget the past is doomed to repeat it.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Mar. 2026
-
But then the 1-20 stretch early last season doomed such hopes.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Democrats also requested that both DOJ and Treasury preserve records related to the transaction.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
If an airline cancels a flight or a connection becomes impossible, passengers are typically entitled to rebook or request refunds, depending on the airline’s policies.—
Hana Al-Khodairi,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The board approved four labor contracts with smaller unions and unanimously passed a resolution seeking to avoid contracts with firms with ties to immigration enforcement.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
His pressure rate numbers are remarkable — even if his sack numbers aren’t — which is great news for a Panthers pass rush that was among the worst in the league last year.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ordain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordain. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
