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 Department of Transportation (DOT) pledged to enforce existing laws.
—
Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
With the envelope rule enforced, the match was scratched and the scoreboard adjusted to 12–5.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
The administration is not seeking to begin enforcing the executive order until the Supreme Court decides whether or not to take up the case and ultimately render judgment -- a decision likely months away.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2025
Louisville lawmakers have passed an ordinance that ends permit requirements for some protests — an effort led by a Republican council member who has in the past called out Mayor Craig Greenberg's administration for not enforcing the city's permitting rules.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enforce
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Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
With the envelope rule enforced, the match was scratched and the scoreboard adjusted to 12–5.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
The administration is not seeking to begin enforcing the executive order until the Supreme Court decides whether or not to take up the case and ultimately render judgment -- a decision likely months away.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2025
Louisville lawmakers have passed an ordinance that ends permit requirements for some protests — an effort led by a Republican council member who has in the past called out Mayor Craig Greenberg's administration for not enforcing the city's permitting rules.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enforce
Cite this Entry
“Enforce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enforce. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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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