1
as in destining
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 ordering
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 enacting
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
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Recent Examples of ordaining
Although Anglican churches in the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, and New Zealand began ordaining women as priests as early as the 1970s, the Church of Nigeria resisted such developments.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordaining
Verb
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Rebecca Cliffe of the Sloth Conservation Foundation and Sam Trull of the Sloth Institute, organizations based in Costa Rica, arrived in Central Florida last week to speak with state and local authorities and zoo officials about the matter, culminating in FWC ordering the temporary suspension.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 May 2026
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In September 1960, Fidel Castro’s government published a decree ordering the confiscation of all of it without compensation.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
Verb
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The change was prompted by the Porter County Commissioners on April 1 enacting a new standard operating procedure for its Porter County E-911 system.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
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The state passed a law last year preempting local governments from enacting or enforcing rules against presidential libraries.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
Verb
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In the year 2027 (which is somehow just one year from now, please stop, passage of time), Children of Men imagines a world where women have been infertile for years, dooming humanity to a slow extinction.—
Grace Dean,
Space.com,
2 May 2026
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If that’s true, then the YIMBY activists pushing for zoning reforms around the country are making a terrible mistake, dooming themselves to repeating California’s failed experiment.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The chair of the House Oversight Committee has sent a letter to OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman requesting information about potential conflicts of interest between Altman’s personal investments and his operation of the company.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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Taken together, these safeguards ensure that customers requesting significant new load also bear the financial responsibility that comes with it.—
Scott Bores,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2026
Verb
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If Democrats win the House, our first priority should be passing a comprehensive affordability package that will bring down the costs of child care, housing and health care.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
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Unlike at Shadden’s, the only mechanical purr is the brief rumble of a passing car.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ordaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordaining. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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