enact

verb

en·​act i-ˈnakt 

enacted; enacting; enacts

transitive verb

1

: to establish by legal and authoritative act

specifically : to make into law

enact a bill

2

: act out

enact a role

enactor

i-ˈnak-tər 

noun

Synonyms

• pass
• constitute
• legislate
• approve
• make

Examples of enact in a Sentence

Congress will enact legislation related to that issue.

The law was finally enacted today.

Recent Examples on the Web

The state enacted the law in 2000. —Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025

In 2020, authorities enacted a complete ban on making, selling or using firecrackers in New Delhi, citing hazardous pollution levels. —Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025

Separate from the spending crisis, recently enacted federal law changes tightened work requirements for certain SNAP recipients and shifted part of administrative costs to states, scheduled for full implementation by 2026. —Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025

The government shuts down when funding expires, and lawmakers fail to enact appropriations bills or a continuing resolution. —Rachel Barber, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for enact

• abstract
• attacked
• attract
• contact
• contract
• detract
• distract
• exact
• extract
• hijacked
• impact
• intact

Kids Definition

enact

verb

en·​act in-ˈakt 

1

: to make (as a bill) into law

enact legislation

2

: to act out

enact a scene from a play

enactor

-ˈak-tər 

noun

Legal Definition

enact

transitive verb

en·​act i-ˈnakt 

: to establish by legal and authoritative act : make into law

enact a bill