DECREE Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

decree 1 of 2

noun

di-ˈkrē

Definition of decree

as in edict

a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned the boss doesn't give out many decrees, but he does expect those that are issued to be fully obeyed

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in ruling

an order publicly issued by an authority a decree issued by the state's supreme court to the legislature

Synonyms & Similar Words

decree

2 of 2

verb

as in to order

to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority the new supervisor decreed that thenceforth coffee breaks would have a 15-minute limit

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of decree

Noun

Former president Jair Bolsonaro — Flávio Bolsonaro’s father — signed a 2020 decree that opened a path toward privatizing parts of it before immediately backing down amid a wave of criticism. — Terrence McCoy, Washington Post, 17 Oct. 2026 Wisely, our Fathers chose a secular people-friendly format not subject to papal or evangelical or ayatollah decree. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026

Verb

The barrages prompted Putin last month to decree that the state temporarily can seize control of critical infrastructure facilities if private owners fail to protect them from Ukrainian drone attacks or don’t rebuild them after strikes. — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026 In a significant policy twist, on 14 August, Spain’s government decreed a three-year extension for a pair of nuclear power plants with combined capacity of about 2 gigawatts. — IEEE Spectrum, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for decree

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decree

Noun

The edict is to transform the operating model when the market fundamentally shifts so the company can thrive in a changing environment.

— Erik Clarke, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
The film by and large follows the edicts of Iranian neorealism, with unobtrusive observations and a naturalistic soundscape.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of edict

Noun

Meanwhile, companies are deploying AI agents by the thousand, and not one of them has read the company policy or heard the new local court ruling.

— Daniel Kjellén, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Meta didn’t respond, however, to my question about whether the ruling will or should shake Muse users’ confidence in Meta’s assurances of privacy protections.

— Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of ruling

Verb

In August 2022, Garza was ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial and ordered to be jailed until a bed in a state mental health treatment facility was available.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
An Eagle man charged with animal cruelty in the shooting deaths of two caged cats was ordered to serve a total of 14 days in jail after accepting a plea deal in August, according to court records.

— Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of order

Noun

The court found that the directive to fast to death was implemented by targeting children first, while guards were deployed to prevent them from escaping, beating those who attempted to escape or eat.

— Evelyne Musambi, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
That may include a will, durable financial power of attorney, health care power of attorney or proxy and an advance health care directive.

— Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of directive

Verb

With Election Day now less than two weeks away, more than 2 million absentee ballots have been requested across Michigan.

— Elaine Rojas-Castillo, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Weiss-Wolf’s advice emphasizes understanding your options and advocating for better health care, while recognizing that disclosing symptoms or requesting an accommodation can carry risks.

— Jo Ann Liguori, Flow Space, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of request

Noun

According to reporting by Semafor on Monday, the decision came after Wall Street executives privately raised safety concerns about attending the event with the event’s organizers, including Saudi sovereign fund PIF’s governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

— Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Prince Harry is opening up about his and wife Meghan Markle’s unexpected decision earlier this year to move back to the United Kingdom years after their dramatic fallout with the British royal family.

— Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of decision

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decreasingly

decree

decreed

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Style

“Decree.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decree. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of decree

noun

verb

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