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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Chaotic video obtained by FOX 35 shows local authorities ordering the teens to leave the area as police cars lined the roads.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Don’t leave without ordering the bread pudding for dessert, which is prepared in a deep fryer and is the perfect consistency.—
Anna Katherine Clemmons,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Even while enacting revenge on her neighbor, Peet’s on-screen persona remains thoughtfully comfortable.—
Rylee Johnston,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
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At a time when states are enacting an anti-voting agenda to limit who can participate in elections, Maryland must set the standard for an inclusive democracy, not falling short of it.—
Nicole D. Porter,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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Just more than a minute after ignition, the ruptured booster caused the shuttle’s giant external fuel tank to explode, tearing the vehicle to pieces over the ocean and dooming all seven astronauts.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In addition to requesting repairs at the complex, tenants said they have been towed unfairly.—
Ginny Monk,
ProPublica,
27 Apr. 2026
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That intrusion began with phishing calls to the company’s technology help desk by hackers who pretended to be employees requesting a reset of their authentication credentials.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But after the catastrophe that precedes it, the moment feels like passing around a collection plate at a funeral.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
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Massie objected to passing the extension by unanimous consent, forcing the legislation to a floor vote instead.—
Hailey Bullis,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ordaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordaining. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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