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
Deployments have been used to enforce civil rights, quell urban violence, and, once, even to fill in for striking postal workers.
—
Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
In addition, European officials pushed Washington to use its economic leverage to enforce any ceasefire with strict consequences for Moscow, if violated.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
On Tuesday, attorneys came back to ask Walker to expand that ruling, barring state attorneys from enforcing that aspect of the law against their clients.
—Kate Payne, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2025
The task force coordinates federal agencies to enforce quality-of-life laws, clear homeless encampments on federal land, support local police recruitment, strengthen pretrial detention policies, and restore federal monuments and public spaces.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enforce
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Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
In addition, European officials pushed Washington to use its economic leverage to enforce any ceasefire with strict consequences for Moscow, if violated.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
On Tuesday, attorneys came back to ask Walker to expand that ruling, barring state attorneys from enforcing that aspect of the law against their clients.
—Kate Payne, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2025
The task force coordinates federal agencies to enforce quality-of-life laws, clear homeless encampments on federal land, support local police recruitment, strengthen pretrial detention policies, and restore federal monuments and public spaces.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Aug. 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 23 Aug. 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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