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

• constitute
• lay down
• legislate
• make
• ordain
• pass

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

Many of those same states have also enacted measures prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in women's sports. —June 18, CBS News, 18 June 2025

The Patriot Act was enacted following 9/11, that expanded search and surveillance powers of federal law enforcement and intelligence and effectively justified the tearing down of those privacy silos. —Hessie Jones, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025

The sequencing of memories in Night subtly enacts that shift, revealing path and structure. —Jane Alison june 17, Literary Hub, 17 June 2025

Earlier this month, President Trump enacted a travel ban on 12 countries and imposed additional visa restrictions on seven others. —Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 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