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GRE vocabulary

ordinance

nounHigh-frequency wordMore O words

an authoritative order or law issued by a government, especially a local municipality

Word origin: From Latin ordinare, to put in order.

In a sentence

Ordinance in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing ordinance in a sentence.

The city passed an ordinance banning single-use plastic bags within its limits.

The city council passed an ordinance restricting construction noise to weekday daylight hours.

Synonyms
decreeregulationstatuteedict
Antonyms

None listed.

Usage & nuance

Using “ordinance” well

An ordinance is an authoritative law or order, especially one enacted by a local government such as a city or town. Do not confuse it with ordnance, which means military weapons and ammunition.

Common questions

Questions about “ordinance

Ordinance (noun) means an authoritative order or law issued by a government, especially a local municipality
Here is ordinance used in an example sentence: "The city passed an ordinance banning single-use plastic bags within its limits." Another example: "The city council passed an ordinance restricting construction noise to weekday daylight hours."
Common synonyms for ordinance include decree, regulation, statute, edict.
On the GRE, ordinance clusters with decree, regulation, statute, and edict. The near-homophone ordnance is a classic spelling trap to watch for.
Yes. Ordinance is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

Learn words the way the GRE tests them.

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