commandment
Americannoun
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a command or mandate.
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(sometimes initial capital letter) any of the Ten Commandments.
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the act or power of commanding.
noun
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a divine command, esp one of the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament
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literary any command
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of commandment
1200–50; Middle English com ( m ) and ( e ) ment < Anglo-French, Old French com ( m ) andement. See command, -ment
Explanation
If someone believes that God has directed them to do something, it's a commandment. If your parents grimly order you to clean your room, you can also consider that a commandment. Strictly speaking, a commandment is divinely ordered, like the Ten Commandments in the Bible. But you should feel free to use this word for any solemn, serious directive or set of guiding principles. The commandments of your French club, for example, might include "no speaking in English" and "don't be late — unless you brought croissants."
Vocabulary lists containing commandment
Civilizations and Peoples of the Fertile Crescent, Lessons 5–7
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Module 3: Vocabulary Video Words
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for June 22–June 28, 2024
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Nor is there any commandment to spread the religion over the face of the earth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 11, 2025
The practice is derived from the Bible's fourth commandment which states "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy".
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2024
While I wouldn’t risk a cold start with time-consuming laminated dough, in general I found that breaking the “thou shalt preheat” commandment worthwhile.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 2, 2024
Do we still, even in the faintest way, hear that Surrealist commandment: “Transform the world, change life”?
From New York Times ● Feb. 28, 2024
Okay, maybe “Thou shalt not bear false witness against your neighbor” is only the eighth commandment, but it’s still pretty darn important.
From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy
I was following one of the most important commandments of retirement: Keep busy to stave off feelings of isolation or depression.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 18, 2025
They've inspired great works of art and literature, motivated countless believers to obey God's commandments and driven some of the bloodiest conflicts in the collective biography of our species.
From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2023
The words, taken from a Protestant version of the commandments from the King James Version of the Bible, are the same as those that appear on a monument on the grounds of the Texas Capitol.
From New York Times ● May 24, 2023
Father Ioann adds that he is a Christian pacifist whose moral views are entirely based on the commandments of the Gospel and canons of the Russian Orthodox Church.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2022
Looking back, she thinks, Ay, Mama, ease up a little on those commandments.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
