1
as in destines
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 orders
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 enacts
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 ordains
And one of the tenets of that faith is that God ordains everything.
—
Scott Pelley, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Scott Pelley, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordains
Verb
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Federal officials have sent a letter that orders the corporate owner in the public-private partnership at Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex to bring an engineer on site, restore the powerhouse operations and provide an assessment of the conditions.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
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Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, supreme commander of the Luftwaffe, Hitler’s second in command, and the highest-ranking surviving Nazi leader, steps out of the car, stands at attention to announce his surrender, and orders the soldiers to carry his bags.—
Alice Kaplan,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Even if Florida enacts a GOP-friendlier map in a special legislative session set for April 28, the worst possible outcome from the redistricting fight now looks like a national dead heat.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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The Attorney General enacts California’s laws and can bring litigation against companies or the federal government on behalf of state residents.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The message here is not that childhood trauma dooms someone to cancer, says Fuller-Thompson.—
Rob Williams,
EverydayHealth.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Legacy homer dooms Lake Ridge Shayla Gonzalez broke open a 1-1 tie with a 3-run home run in the top of the seventh inning and Mansfield Legacy hung on to beat Mansfield Lake Ridge 4-3 in a District 3-6A showdown on Tuesday night.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Standard protocol dictates Allen be held under suicide watch for the first 72 hours while he is assessed.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
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Tradition dictates that a major leaguer on a rehab assignment picks up the tab for the postgame spread, which means the other minor leaguers get a better meal than usual.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
2 May 2026
Verb
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As a result, when Earth passes through the comet’s orbit, the comet itself is very far away.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
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The Salmon River Scenic Byway passes through some of Idaho’s most remote regions.—
Cu Fleshman,
Travel + Leisure,
3 May 2026
Verb
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The vote requests that the department’s all-civilian watchdog adopt new guidelines similar to San Francisco, which bars police officers from pulling people over for broken taillights and other minor equipment violations unless there is a safety threat.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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Once a guest requests a seat, they are prompted to complete a third-party identity verification.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ordains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordains. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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