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
They will be placed in sink or swim situations with no one there to help enforce the law from the federal government.
—
Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 19 Apr. 2026
Cities can still address unsafe conditions, maintain parks and enforce reasonable rules.
—Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026
Roach ordered the Collin County Sheriff's Office to enforce the rules and noted the court may modify the order at any time.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appealed and got a temporary reprieve in March 2024, allowing the state to enforce HB 1181.
—Chloe Albanesius, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for enforce
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Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 19 Apr. 2026
Cities can still address unsafe conditions, maintain parks and enforce reasonable rules.
—Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026
Roach ordered the Collin County Sheriff's Office to enforce the rules and noted the court may modify the order at any time.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appealed and got a temporary reprieve in March 2024, allowing the state to enforce HB 1181.
—Chloe Albanesius, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 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 23 Apr. 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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