enacted; enacting; enacts
Synonyms of enact

transitive verb

1
: to establish by legal and authoritative act
specifically : to make into law
enact a bill
2
: act out
enact a role

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Undaunted, Demczur used his squeegee blade to carve a hole in the plaster so the men could kick through the wall to escape—a process Demczur re-enacts for the series. ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026 Mayor Karen Bass will need to approve the ordinance before it can be enacted. City News Service, Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026 However, according to Zbur’s office, lawmakers have still not settled on the appropriate vehicle to enact the change, and may not have that resolved until next week. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026 The board’s vote came six years after California enacted Assembly Bill 3074 to create a Zone 0, with rules supposed to come by 2023. Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for enact

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of enact was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Enact.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enact. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
: to make (as a bill) into law
enact legislation
2
: to act out
enact a scene from a play

Legal Definition

enact

transitive verb
: to establish by legal and authoritative act : make into law
enact a bill

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