enjoins

verb

present tense third-person singular of enjoin
1
as in demands
to ask for (something) earnestly or with authority police enjoined the community's full cooperation in getting rid of the drug dealers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in instructs
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority undeterred, the captain enjoined his crew to sail at full speed into the mine-filled harbor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in forbids
to order not to do or use or to be done or used Quakerism enjoins the taking of human life

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 enjoins Curtis Morrison of Red Eagle Law notes in an interview that the Dorcas decision enjoins the USCIS holds, but the government has appealed that order. — Stuart Anderson, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 The result will be a legal race to see which of those courts enjoins the policy first. — John E. Jones Iii, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enjoins
  1. demands
  2. instructs
  3. forbids
  4. requires
  5. tells
  6. prohibits
  7. asks
  8. orders
Verb
  • Modern operational resilience demands dynamic alignment frameworks, such as expanding target setting into living check-in agreements that continually adjust resources, targets and support to match shifting market realities.
    — Natalie Grabher, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The process now laid out by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services demands that states verify how severe a diagnosis is — this requires an extra visit and paperwork from the doctor.
    — Abdullah Shihipar, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of demands
Verb
  • The Gap Between Agreement And Action​ Most change guidance instructs leaders how to gain commitment.
    — John Radman, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Using this simple sequence, Grok then follows the command as soon as the user instructs the assistant to summarize the page.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of instructs
Verb
  • Others are testing grounds for activities that the real world forbids.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Yet, no major religion in the world forbids vaccinations, and most encourage and embrace them as a common good, like the Catholic bishops.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of forbids
Verb
  • This may not come as a surprise in a world not only of AI, but widespread access to technology that requires ordinary people to develop typing skills.
    — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • If the rug requires mold or mildew remediation, consult a professional rug cleaner.
    — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of requires
Verb
  • Despite Bret’s passionate insistence that his classmate is a serial killer, Croft tells him Robert is a good kid from a good family and sends him back to class.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The limited series tells the story of two sisters who go on the run after an act of vengeance goes wrong.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of tells
Verb
  • Data sharing State law prohibits law enforcement from sharing the data with entities outside of California.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • International law prohibits the deliberate targeting of schools and universities during armed conflicts.
    — Justin Fishel, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of prohibits
Verb
  • One of the questions, directed to David Hunt, director of finance for Entergy Arkansas, asks him to explain the reasoning for the classification of the payments.
    — Sydney Sasser, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The complaint asks a Cook County judge to issue a fine of $11,500 for every day the violations are not corrected.
    — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of asks
Verb
  • In an Investigation, Details Matter • Jacob’s Uncle Monty orders White Manna for lunch at the station.
    — Chris Klimek, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Pecan is the fastest-growing fall flavor of the season, with DoorDash orders up 28% year over year from 2024 to 2025, according to the company’s 2025 fall flavors trend report.
    — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of orders

Browse Nearby Words

enjoining
enjoins
enjoy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Enjoins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enjoins. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All