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:
The U.S. has maintained a presence of about 20 Navy ships in the region in recent months to enforce its blockade and help escort commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to Navy officials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 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
Nvidia said the platform included a watchdog that can quarantine agents that attempt to move outside their boundaries in milliseconds, as well as software to enforce what agents can see, do, and interact with.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Troops were also deployed to enforce strict Covid‑19 lockdowns in 2020 and during the deadly riots sparked by the jailing of ex‑president Jacob Zuma in 2021.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
Chestnut was fiery and had done a lot of work in the black community to enforce civil rights.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
The office of the state's insurance and fire safety commissioner, which enforces amusement park safety rules in Georgia, is also conducting a review.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
“My Office enforces the law without fear or favor,” Santa Clara Dist.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 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
Hong Kong’s government said it vigorously enforces United Nations sanctions but not those imposed unilaterally by individual nations, which it says violate international law.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
There is a reporter who arranges and publishes the opinions, a clerk who keeps the records, and a marshal who attends the court, preserves decorum, and enforces its orders.
From Government in the United States National, State and Local by James Wilford Garner
In practice, its ability to impose its will is circumscribed by deference to provincial and indigenous prerogatives, often enforced by courts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 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
He started only 15 different players across the four games with two of his changes enforced by Ballard's injury and Ethan Galbraith's absence against Ukraine to attend the birth of his child.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
They were younger, coarser men who enforced every niggling regulation, whose job was to harass and demoralize us.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Trax acknowledged "periods of elevated temperature" but said cooling systems were in place and insisted its approach "is not based on enforcing output targets".
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Horvath cited recent Los Angeles Times reporting on the challenges victims face when obtaining and enforcing restraining orders as an inspiration for the Board of Supervisors motion, which was co-authored by board chair Hilda Solis.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
Oman’s government saw Burke’s visit as a sign the U.S. was serious about enforcing its sanctions and that refusing to cooperate could hurt their economy, Middle Eastern officials familiar with the matter said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
Consider the fact that an HOA is responsible for enforcing landscaping requirements, such as making sure homeowners have trimmed their grass.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
Only fifteen hundred field federal agents were assigned the enormous task of enforcing Prohibition.
From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler
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