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Synonyms

enforce

American

[en-fawrs, -fohrs] / ɛnˈfɔrs, -ˈfoʊrs /

verb (used with object)

to put or keep in force; compel obedience to.

to enforce a rule; Traffic laws will be strictly enforced.

Synonyms:

apply, execute, impose, administer
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.
to support (a demand, claim, etc.) by force.

to enforce one's rights as a citizen.
to impress or urge (an argument, contention, etc.) forcibly; lay stress upon.

He enforced his argument by adding details.

enforce British

/ ɪnˈfɔːsɪdlɪ, ɪnˈfɔːs /

verb

to ensure observance of or obedience to (a law, decision, etc)
to impose (obedience, loyalty, etc) by or as by force
to emphasize or reinforce (an argument, demand, etc)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

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.

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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:

enforce enforces enforced enforcing

Macron had in July thanked members of parliament for backing the legislation and pledged to enforce it by September.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

A U.S. military helicopter fired at the rudder of the ship after its crew ignored warnings from American personnel working to enforce the naval blockade of Iran’s ports, the official said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

“Under his tenure, the commission staff has worked rigorously to enforce the toughest local ethics laws in the nation, including a gift ban and restrictions on lobbyists.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

In June, three Indian sailors were killed in a U.S. operation to enforce its blockade of Iran, an Indian official said at the time.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

And they have the laws and the means to enforce their views....I am sure that their attitude is indefensible, but I do not wish to jeopardize my liberty in proving that it is.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

For more than a decade, aircraft entering Yemeni airspace have needed prior clearance from the Saudi-led coalition that backs the government and says it enforces the restriction at its request.

From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026

Aronowitz, as head of the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor office that enforces ERISA, is responsible for following through.

From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026

U.S. law generally enforces a quiet period for 40 days after the IPO during which time the company and any of the underwriters are prohibited from any communications on the stock.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 15, 2026

He has vowed to ensure the city enforces its laws.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026

He also enforces that orderly and lucid exposition and arrangement of the matter, which carries the conviction that the Cadet not only knows his topic, but is able to communicate it to others.

From Guide to West Point, and the U.S. Military Academy by Various

In the workshop, I enforced another rule: Clean up every day.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

Beijing warned leading automakers that safety rules would be more tightly enforced after a fatal crash in 2025 involving a Xiaomi car in assisted driving mode.

From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026

TikTok said it "robustly" enforced it policies, "with 99.5% of the violative products we remove taken down before they are listed".

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

Advocates of private-school voucher programs argue against restrictions on how the schools operate and push back against the type of oversight enforced on public schools.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

I just envied those dumb Bobbseys for having a superior adventure to ours, in that cool, snowy place, where no one had to endure an enforced fiesta.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Binface's policies had included nationalising the singer Adele, moving a pub hand dryer in Uxbridge and enforcing a 99p price tag on ice creams with 99 flakes.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

In the case of the FTC and FCC, we will have issues enforcing competitive rules and licensing for different broadcast stations.

From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026

When the City Council initially declined to pass tough anti-corruption laws, voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition H to create an independent watchdog tasked with enforcing a tough new set of regulations governing city officials’ conduct.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

Now, Attorney General Andrea Campbell, a Democrat, is aggressively enforcing the statute against recalcitrant communities in the state.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 1, 2026

There were still few rules at Down House, and Charles was not very good at enforcing the ones he and Emma did make.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023