Synonyms

legislate

American

[lej-is-leyt] / ˈlɛdʒ ɪsˌleɪt /

verb (used without object)

legislated, legislating

to exercise the function of legislation; make or enact laws.

verb (used with object)

legislated, legislating

to create, provide, or control by legislation.

attempts to legislate morality.

legislate British

/ ˈlɛdʒɪsˌleɪt /

verb

(intr) to make or pass laws
(tr) to bring into effect by legislation

"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

overlegislate verb
quasi-legislated adjective
unlegislated adjective

Etymology

Origin of legislate

First recorded in 1710–20; back formation from legislation, legislator

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.

I don’t know how you legislate against greed.

From The Wall Street Journal

Labour won the general election of May 1997, and almost immediately legislated.

From BBC

The White House’s plan “may represent a policy opening” that “could evolve into a legislated, progressive, and secure universal system,” said Wealth Equity Lab’s Ghilarducci in the statement.

From Barron's

And that may well be a factor in the Scottish government saying they support the principles of this bill, but would rather legislate in the next parliament.

From BBC

The government has legislated that health insurers must make money.

From MarketWatch

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