Synonyms

ordain

American

[awr-deyn] / ɔrˈdeɪn /

verb (used with object)

to invest with ministerial, priestly, or rabbinical functions.
to enact or establish by law, edict, etc..

to ordain a new type of government.
to decree; give orders for.

He ordained that the restrictions were to be lifted.

Synonyms:

determine, prescribe, order
(of God, fate, etc.) to destine or predestine.

Fate had ordained the meeting.

Synonyms:

predetermine

verb (used without object)

to order or command.

Thus do the gods ordain.
to select for or appoint to an office.
to invest someone with sacerdotal functions.

ordain British

/ ɔːˈdeɪn /

verb

to consecrate (someone) as a priest; confer holy orders upon
(may take a clause as object) to decree, appoint, or predestine irrevocably
(may take a clause as object) to order, establish, or enact with authority
obsolete to select for an office

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of ordain

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English ordeinen, from Old French ordener, from Latin ordināre “to order, arrange, appoint”; see ordination

Explanation

To ordain is to make someone a minister, priest, monk, or other member of the clergy. In the Catholic church, for example, a bishop ordains new priests. When you say that people have been ordained, you usually mean that they've been invested with special religion-related powers. In many Buddhist traditions, senior monks ordain new monks and, increasingly, female monks (or nuns) as well. Occasionally, this chiefly religious verb is used to mean "officially declare" or "decree" in a secular matter, as when a court ordains desegregation.

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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.

“The power to ‘define a crime and ordain its punishment’ is an exclusively legislative function,” the justices wrote.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 11, 2024

The SBC ousted Saddleback Church in Costa Mesa, once the second-largest megachurch in the denomination, earlier this year over its decision to ordain female pastors.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2023

"Dr Mawhinney's comments ignore the fact that it has been the policy of the Presbyterian Church to ordain women to eldership for almost a century, and to the ministry for exactly fifty years," it continued.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2023

It also acknowledged the need to train more Afaan Oromo speaking priests and agreed to ordain more ethnic Oromos among high ranking clergy, it said in a statement.

From Reuters • Feb. 16, 2023

Having had their final test the evening before, there was nothing left but to ordain them.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023