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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordains
Verb
-
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 -
Although the decision orders a re-sentencing, there's a chance Peters will be handed the same sentence again.—
Chierstin Roth,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The siting of the rites at the Colosseum—where it has been held since 1964, echoing a practice from the eighteenth century—means that the Pope enacts Jesus’ final hours not in a Baroque basilica but against the backdrop of the Roman Empire, which exercised power through violence.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Waymo doesn’t plan to launch its service in Minnesota until the state enacts new laws to set up basic regulations.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This leads to the fracture in Catherine and Heathcliff's relationship that dooms them all to ruin.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Without that sense of desperate loneliness, what dooms Frankenstein and the Creature to their deaths?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The league brings in less revenue, for one, and its CBA also dictates that no player can sign a contract for an AAV greater than 20 percent of the salary cap — proportionally lower, by 15 percent, than the NBA supermax.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
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Remember, too, that while the conventional wisdom dictates that a new mortgage rate that's a full percentage point lower than your current one is worth pursuing, sometimes a rate that's just half a percentage point lower could also be valuable.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
An elevated rail line passes through to carry coal to the rest of the country.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
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And Tehran’s stranglehold on the strait — through which a fifth of the world’s oil typically passes each day — has already driven up energy prices worldwide, raising fears of an impending oil shock.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This session, the Legislature also passed House Bill 822, which requires schools and health care providers to inform a parent within 72 hours if a child requests to take steps to socially transition, which could include using pronouns or names that align with their gender identity.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Ryan, and his 6-year-old brother, have volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, a favorite of the Carters, and Ryan regularly requests a night's reading material to contain information on former presidents, according to videos posted by his mother.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Ordains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordains. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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