enforcer
Americannoun
-
a person or thing that enforces.
-
the member of a group, especially of a gang, charged with keeping dissident members obedient.
-
a person, especially a public official, who enforces laws, regulations, rules, or the like.
-
Also called policeman. Ice Hockey. a physically intimidating or willingly belligerent player who is counted on to retaliate when rough tactics are used by the opposing team.
Etymology
Origin of enforcer
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.
Taeb, a cleric, was named commander of the Basij, the IRGC's vast youth militia, which has become notorious as an enforcer of security in Iranian neighbourhoods.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
Her reputation as Clark’s right-hand and enforcer spread along with the viral clip.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
But it’s Big Baby, a crayon-tattooed, life-size enforcer in “Toy Story 3,” that still haunts me.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
“Europe stands now at a crossroads. We now have a rare opportunity to choose what we want to do for our future,” Henna Virkkunen, the EU’s top tech enforcer, said Wednesday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026
He stands there like an enforcer, his arms crossed and his stance wide.
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
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.
