enforcer

noun

en·​forc·​er in-ˈfȯr-sər 

en-

1

: one that enforces

2

a

: a violent criminal employed by a crime syndicate

especially : hit man sense 1

b

: a player (as in ice hockey) known for rough play and fighting

Examples of enforcer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

An architect of the noncompete rule warns the enforcement strategy will fail Elizabeth Wilkins, Khan's former chief of staff and one of the architects of the FTC's noncompete rule, predicts Ferguson's plan for going after noncompetes using agency enforcers will prove woefully insufficient. —Andrea Hsu, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025

Cartels typically act in secret, so identifying them is a major challenge for antitrust enforcers. —Alden Abbott, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025

That included playing the role of enforcer on the court when Clark took shots from opponents, leading to a flagrant 2 foul, ejection, and fine for Cunningham. —Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025

Yankees president Randy Levine is friendly with Trump, of whose DEI bidding Carr has been among the most enthusiastic federal enforcers. —Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for enforcer

• endorser
• indorser
• coarser
• courser
• reinforcer