enforced; enforcing; enforces
1
: to give force to : strengthen
2
: to urge with energy
enforce arguments
4
obsolete
: to effect or gain by force
5
: to carry out effectively
enforce laws
Examples of enforce in a Sentence
Police will be enforcing the parking ban.
the duty of the police is to enforce the law
Recent Examples on the Web
On Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that the state can enforce its 1864 law criminalizing abortions, except when a mother’s life is at risk.
—
Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
The ruling cannot be enforced for 14 days, the judges wrote, during which Planned Parenthood Arizona, as a party to the court case, could raise constitutionality questions before a lower court.
—Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
What’s less clear, however, is how such orders could be enforced.
—Yasmeen Serhan, TIME, 9 Apr. 2024
Correction April 9, 2024 An earlier version of this story said that Arizona would not be able to enforce the state Supreme Court decision for 45 days.
—Katherine Davis-Young, NPR, 9 Apr. 2024
In states like New York, the gap between what’s legal and what’s enforced has allowed illicit stores to pop up among the legitimate ones.
—Jane C. Hu, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2024
In the 1990s, the Philippines grounded an aging World War II-era navy transport ship on the shoal, to help enforce its claim to the area.
—Brad Lendon, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024
The cinema chain is also notable for its No Talking/No Texting policy, strictly enforced so patrons can watch films free from distractions.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 28 Mar. 2024
Nikon does not enforce any such speed restrictions, so the lens can keep up with the Z 8 and Z 9.
—PCMAG, 28 Mar. 2024
Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
The ruling cannot be enforced for 14 days, the judges wrote, during which Planned Parenthood Arizona, as a party to the court case, could raise constitutionality questions before a lower court.
—Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
What’s less clear, however, is how such orders could be enforced.
—Yasmeen Serhan, TIME, 9 Apr. 2024
Correction April 9, 2024 An earlier version of this story said that Arizona would not be able to enforce the state Supreme Court decision for 45 days.
—Katherine Davis-Young, NPR, 9 Apr. 2024
In states like New York, the gap between what’s legal and what’s enforced has allowed illicit stores to pop up among the legitimate ones.
—Jane C. Hu, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2024
In the 1990s, the Philippines grounded an aging World War II-era navy transport ship on the shoal, to help enforce its claim to the area.
—Brad Lendon, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024
The cinema chain is also notable for its No Talking/No Texting policy, strictly enforced so patrons can watch films free from distractions.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 28 Mar. 2024
Nikon does not enforce any such speed restrictions, so the lens can keep up with the Z 8 and Z 9.
—PCMAG, 28 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'enforce.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near enforce
Cite this Entry
“Enforce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enforce. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
enforce
verb
en·force
in-ˈfō(ə)rs 
-ˈfȯ(ə)rs
1
: to bring about by force : compel
enforce obedience
2
: to carry out effectively
enforce the law
Legal Definition
enforce
transitive verb
en·force
enforced; enforcing
: to cause to take effect or to be fulfilled
enforcing the divorce decree
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation—U.S. Constitution amend. XIX
U.S. Constitution amend. XIXLove words? Need even more definitions?
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