What does decreeing mean?
Decreeing is the present participle of the verb 'decree', meaning to issue a formal, authoritative order — the kind of command that carries the force of law. It is used when a ruler, government, court, or other empowered body officially establishes something: a parliament may be described as decreeing new regulations, or a monarch as decreeing an end to hostilities. Because the word implies power flowing from a single authoritative source rather than from debate or consent, it often carries connotations of absolute authority or even arbitrariness — history offers many examples of rulers decreeing whatever they wished. The word also appears figuratively, as when writers say that fate or circumstance seems to be decreeing an outcome. Formal in register, it belongs chiefly to legal, political, historical, and literary writing, and is usually followed by a 'that'-clause specifying the order given.
verbThe present participle and gerund of the verb 'decree': to order or decide something officially and with legal or authoritative force, typically said of a ruler, government, court, or other body with formal power.
- (of a person or body in authority) to order or establish something officially by decree; to make legally binding.
- (formal) to declare or determine something as if by authoritative command — used figuratively of fate, courts, or circumstances.
"The council spent months decreeing new regulations for the old town's buildings."
"The king responded to the unrest by decreeing sweeping reforms."
"Fate seemed to be decreeing that the two rivals meet again in the final."
When a Roman emperor spoke, his words didn't just suggest — they became law, and 'decree' still carries that imperial weight today.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of decreeing
Decreeing derives from the verb 'decree', which English adopted in the late Middle Ages from Old French 'decreer', itself rooted in Latin 'decretum', the past participle of 'decernere' meaning 'to decide, determine, or judge'. That Latin verb combines the prefix 'de-' with 'cernere', 'to sift or separate', so at its root the word carries the idea of sifting through matters in order to reach a binding judgment. Cognates from the same Latin source include 'decretal', 'discretion', and 'discern'. From its earliest use in English, the verb was tied to formal pronouncements by sovereigns, councils, and church authorities, and that association persists today.
Related word forms
How decreeing is actually used
Formal and elevated in register; rarely used in everyday speech. Most natural in legal, historical, or literary contexts describing acts of governments, rulers, courts, or religious authorities. Often followed by a 'that'-clause stating what is being ordered.
Easily confused with decreeing
Though they sound nearly identical, 'decreeing' means issuing a formal order, while 'degreeing' relates to measuring or advancing by degrees.