Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of enforcement
1425–75; late Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French. See enforce, -ment
Explanation
Enforcement is when someone in a position of power makes sure you follow the rules, whether it’s a police officer pulling over a speeding car, or your brother catching you cheating at checkers. Most people benefit from the enforcement of laws, because it prevents criminals from taking advantage of others. You can see the word force inside enforcement, and it usually takes a little force to keep people from breaking rules. Enforcement may not make you a popular person – think of a hall monitor – but it does make for an obedient and organized life.
Vocabulary lists containing enforcement
Stay Strong: Forc and Fort
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Bush's Address on 9/11
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Holes
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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.
Garcia, a career law enforcement officer who has cast himself in the political mold of conservative Texas Democrats Rep. Henry Cuellar and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, is an archetypal candidate for a competitive race like this.
From Slate • May 22, 2026
Law enforcement in San Diego has been mum about the possibility of charging parents in the Islamic center shooting, but defense attorney Elmira Yousufi raised the possibility to Fox 5, a local news station.
From Salon • May 22, 2026
Binance said the account had been identified, closed and reported to law enforcement.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
She adds there is "very little" that stops people using technology to get around location-specific bans, with enforcement largely the responsibility of the platforms themselves rather than regulators.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
The sisters voiced suspicions about their brother and about local law enforcement but complained that the prosecutor had disrespected and ignored them.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
