decree

n. an official order or rule made by a government or a leader.

n. an authoritative order having the force of law, typically issued by a head of state or government.

“The president issued a decree to change the national holiday.”

“The emergency decree was signed into law at midnight, granting the executive branch sweeping powers to manage the escalating crisis.”

Formal

n. a final decision made by a judge in a court of law.

n. the judicial decision or determination of a litigated cause, particularly in courts of equity, probate, or admiralty.

“The court's final decree settled the dispute over the family property.”

“The final decree of the probate court distributed the remaining assets among the distant relatives, ending three years of bitter litigation.”

Formal · Technical

n. a decision or plan made by God.

n. a predetermination or act of providence attributed to a divine power.

“In many old stories, the hero's path is fixed by a divine decree.”

“Theologians debated whether human suffering was the result of a divine decree or the consequence of free will.”

Formal · Literary

v. to officially decide or order that something must happen.

v. to command, ordain, or decide by authoritative order. Transitive — usually takes a 'that' clause or a direct object.

“The king decreed that all citizens must pay a new tax.”

“The council decreed that the historic district would be preserved, effectively halting all modern construction projects in the city centre.”

Formal