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
The lawsuit alleges the city enforced the rule against the rainbow fence but failed to cite other noncompliant households for similar fence-color violations.
—
CBS News, 9 May 2026
The rules have already effectively started to be enforced by our home insurance companies, even in areas that are considered very low risk for wild fire.
—The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
Though it hasn’t been enforced since the 1970s, the antiabortion provision of the law remains on the books, experts said.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
When the social media app briefly went dark in January 2025, Trump, on his first day in office, signed an executive order that allowed the company to continue operating in the United States, essentially vowing not to enforce the ban while negotiations over a potential sale continued.
—Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for enforce
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CBS News, 9 May 2026
The rules have already effectively started to be enforced by our home insurance companies, even in areas that are considered very low risk for wild fire.
—The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
Though it hasn’t been enforced since the 1970s, the antiabortion provision of the law remains on the books, experts said.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
When the social media app briefly went dark in January 2025, Trump, on his first day in office, signed an executive order that allowed the company to continue operating in the United States, essentially vowing not to enforce the ban while negotiations over a potential sale continued.
—Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for enforce
Cite this Entry
“Enforce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enforce. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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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