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
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 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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Ben-Gvir’s management of it has been so disquieting that the Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, a former Tel Aviv district attorney, filed a sixty-eight-page petition to the Supreme Court requesting that Netanyahu be made to defend his refusal to fire him.—
Bernard Avishai,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
The board also approved a resolution requesting a deeper analysis into the design of the project and how transportation could be improved in the region.—
DJ Simmons,
Charlotte Observer,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The Broncos have revamped their passing offense this offseason after the acquisition of Jaylen Waddle from the Dolphins.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
-
The two scores gave Dorofeyev nine for the playoffs, passing Howden for the league lead.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ordaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordaining. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
