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.

The government has legislated that health insurers must make money.

From MarketWatch

The government insisted it would legislate to deliver on this pledge and would "set out further details in due course".

From BBC

"We will legislate to deliver on this and further details of the bill will be announced in due course."

From Barron's

The draft law does not legislate for a ban on Senedd politicians lying more generally, after a committee recommended that the existing regime of investigations by a parliamentary standards commissioner be strengthened instead.

From BBC

These findings have implications for the policy landscape Mr. Claggett is trying to legislate.

From The Wall Street Journal

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