1
as in to destine
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 to order
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 to enact
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 ordain
The letter’s signatories included Amy Eilberg, the first woman to be ordained by the Conservative movement; Irving Greenberg, the the prominent Modern Orthodox rabbi, and David Wolpe, the rabbi emeritus of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles.
—
Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2026
Fisher grew up at Beth Am and even trained to be a rabbi there before becoming ordained.
—Lauren Costantino
march 14, Miami Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
He was ordained in 1968 and received his divinity degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in 2000.
—Hannah Hudnall, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
Jackson was with King before his assassination in April 1968, and was ordained as a Reverend in June that same year.
—Olivia-Anne Cleary, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordain
Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2026
Fisher grew up at Beth Am and even trained to be a rabbi there before becoming ordained.
—Lauren Costantino
march 14, Miami Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
He was ordained in 1968 and received his divinity degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in 2000.
—Hannah Hudnall, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
Jackson was with King before his assassination in April 1968, and was ordained as a Reverend in June that same year.
—Olivia-Anne Cleary, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordain
Verb
-
Earlier this month, several outlets covered how garments destined for brands were piling up at airports in Bangladesh and India after Gulf carriers cancelled flights, with more than half of Bangladesh’s air cargo typically moving through Gulf hubs.—
Assef Shaikh,
Footwear News,
2 Apr. 2026
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The site is being divided into several parcels, one destined for a Yokohama-like building with an attached hotel, another for housing, a third for shipping perishable freight.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At least 1,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division, trained to land in hostile territory to secure key positions and airfields, have been ordered to the Middle East.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Denise was ordered to go into the same closet.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The $20 million construction of Independence Elementary was funded through Idaho House Bill 521, a statewide school facilities package enacted in 2024.—
Noah Daly,
Idaho Statesman,
30 Mar. 2026
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That suspension, which was also enacted after the shooting of the National Guard soldiers in Washington, remains in place.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Nationals tagged him for five runs in the fourth, and the Cubs’ lack of timely hits off starter Cade Cavalli and the Nationals bullpen doomed them in a 10-4 loss.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
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All but doomed by six quick runs, the Padres lost 8-2.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The substitute also allows for the state to request a hardship waiver, something that was blocked under the original bill, from the community engagement requirements for counties with high unemployment, greater than 8% or one-and-a-half times higher than the national rate.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Apr. 2026
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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
Verb
-
In 2020, the Legislature passed a law barring trans women and girls from participating in women’s and girls sports.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2026
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The measure passed, 363–117, killing the death penalty in France.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ordain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordain. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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