enforce
Americanverb (used with object)
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enforces,
present (3rd person singular)
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enforced,
past participle, past
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enforcing
present participle
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to put or keep in force; compel obedience to.
to enforce a rule; Traffic laws will be strictly enforced.
- Synonyms:
- apply, execute, impose, administer
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to obtain (payment, obedience, etc.) by force or compulsion.
-
to impose (a course of action) upon a person.
The doctor enforced a strict dietary regimen.
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to support (a demand, claim, etc.) by force.
to enforce one's rights as a citizen.
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to impress or urge (an argument, contention, etc.) forcibly; lay stress upon.
He enforced his argument by adding details.
verb
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to ensure observance of or obedience to (a law, decision, etc)
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to impose (obedience, loyalty, etc) by or as by force
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to emphasize or reinforce (an argument, demand, etc)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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enforceabilitynoun
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enforcementnoun
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enforcernoun
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unenforceabilitynoun
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preenforceverb (used with object)
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enforceableadjective
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enforciveadjective
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half-enforcedadjective
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nonenforceableadjective
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nonenforcedadjective
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nonenforcingadjective
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quasi-enforcedadjective
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unenforceableadjective
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unenforcedadjective
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well-enforcedadjective
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enforcedlyadverb
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nonenforcedlyadverb
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unenforcedlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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enforcesimple
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enforcessimple
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have enforcedperfect
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has enforcedperfect
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am enforcingprogressive
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are enforcingprogressive
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is enforcingprogressive
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have been enforcingperfect progressive
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has been enforcingperfect progressive
Past
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enforcedsimple
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had enforcedperfect
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was enforcingprogressive
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were enforcingprogressive
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had been enforcingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of enforce
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English enforcen, from Anglo-French enforcer, Old French enforcier, enforc(ir), from en- en- 1 + forci(e)r “to compel, strengthen” ( see force)
Explanation
To enforce means to make sure the laws and rules are being followed. So those guys wearing striped outfits and whistles? They're in charge of enforcing the rules of the game. See the word force inside of enforce? It can help you remember that enforce is all about forcing others to follow the rules. The traffic police enforce the driving laws by handing out speeding tickets. Your parents hopefully enforce good behavior by grounding you when you stay out too late. It would be wonderful if everyone just followed the rules on their own, but it seems the temptation to be bad is just too strong. So thank goodness for all the enforcers that keep us in line.
Vocabulary lists containing enforce
Stay Strong: Forc and Fort
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13th Amendment (1865)
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19th Amendment (1920)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Originally scheduled for January 2026, the compliance deadline was proposed to be extended to July 2028; Congress subsequently directed the FDA not to enforce the rule before then.
From Salon ● Oct. 19, 2026
Most hosts on Airbnb and other online-booking companies abruptly pulled their listings from the platforms after a new law enabled the city to enforce longstanding regulations on rentals of fewer than 30 days.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, in his latest message, has insisted security forces are not under orders to "confront high-school students", only to enforce the law.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
He said he would enforce state laws he doesn’t like as long as they are in line with the California and U.S. constitutions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
The officers couldn’t really enforce a block without authorization.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
Azerbaijan is constitutionally secular and the government strongly enforces that.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
“Every day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country including in California,” the spokesperson said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
Hong Kong said it enforces United Nations sanctions but not those imposed unilaterally by nations, which it says violate international law.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Boland said Ofcom, which enforces the OSA, should be encouraged use it to "crack down on irresponsible online platforms that leave consumers wide open to fraud".
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
Begin not to talk of its bitterness, to speak ill of this delicious juice, for it is agreeable, and is only bitter because it enforces the bitterness of my life.
From The Sufistic Quatrains of Omar Khayyam by Omar Khayyam
The proposed crackdown has been welcomed by campaigners, but some have questioned how it can be enforced.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026
One ambitious report published by the think tank floated the radical idea of curbing the credit-card swipe fees enforced at grocery stores.
From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026
The law can be "enforced against any provider, starting from the testing phase, if they experience a loss of control that affects the EU's internal market," including cyberattacks and biological or chemical misuse, Regnier said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
The Supreme Court has repeatedly enforced that principle, recognizing that federal authority in matters affecting foreign relations must be free from local interference.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
That was not the way the schoolmaster enforced discipline.
From "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare
Norway's main media organisations said Tuesday they had taken legal action to block Meta from enforcing new user terms which they claim threaten their rights to their journalistic content.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
But responsibility for enforcing those limits is increasingly falling to organizations, institutions and individuals outside of the legislative branch.
From Salon ● Oct. 27, 2026
Judge Timothy Kelly in Washington, D.C., granted the outlets’ request for a preliminary injunction to block the administration from enforcing the ban while their litigation is ongoing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
Building affordable housing, along with enforcing those laws, will keep more people housed, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Nelson argued that he was simply enforcing the law.
From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
