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.
Bass worked with city agencies on strategies for keeping Immigration and Customs Enforcement off city property.
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
"But at the same time, I think twice. I don't want to be arrested by ICE," he said, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers tasked with arresting and deporting undocumented foreign nationals.
From Barron's • May 26, 2026
Protesters demonstrated against Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for weeks outside the facility, which is roughly 10 miles from downtown Chicago.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
In January, Ho Chi Minh City's Civil Judgment Enforcement Agency said that it was seeking experts to appraise the value of two crocodile skin Hermès Birkin bags seized from Truong My Lan.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
It’s just, I’m afraid, as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement I’m afraid I’m responsible— AMOS: There’s plenty you’re responsible for.
From "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" by J.K. Rowling
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.
