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 of enact

• 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

In 1992, Congress enacted a federal law directing the service academies and senior war colleges to boost their civilian academic ranks. — James Laporta, CBS News, 31 July 2026

The backtracking illustrates how the politics of criminal justice have shifted since 2020, posing dilemmas for Democrats’ midterm strategy and their ability to enact their preferred solutions. — ABC News, 31 July 2026

Jassy has stated the cuts, which came after the company enacted a strict return-to-office policy, were an attempt to reinvigorate the company’s culture and not the result of financial strain. — Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 30 July 2026

Six states had already enacted new laws, while others had considered or failed to pass similar measures. — Janice Mak, The Conversation, 30 July 2026

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