legislate
verb
leg·is·late
ˈle-jə-ˌslāt 
legislated; legislating
: to perform the function of legislation
specifically
: to make or enact laws
: to mandate, establish, or regulate by or as if by legislation
Examples of legislate in a Sentence
They are attempting to legislate morality.
the need to better legislate foreign trade
trying to legislate changes in the current law
Recent Examples on the Web
The issue is not whether citizenship laws should change—Congress can always legislate within constitutional bounds—but whether the executive can reinterpret foundational constitutional rights unilaterally, without effective judicial review.
—
Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Members are supposed to keep this in mind when legislating on these issues, but presidential control over the process makes that difficult or even impossible.
—Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 15 May 2025
The Trump Administration should legislate so that there is a zero federal tax rate for families who earn less than the federal poverty level.
—Lynn Forester De Rothschild, Time, 11 May 2025
Most sports have legislated against transgender athletes’ participation at both the elite and grassroots levels, among them the Rugby Football Union, the England and Wales Cricket Board, British Cycling, UK Athletics and British Triathlon.
—Katie Whyatt, New York Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for legislate
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Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Members are supposed to keep this in mind when legislating on these issues, but presidential control over the process makes that difficult or even impossible.
—Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 15 May 2025
The Trump Administration should legislate so that there is a zero federal tax rate for families who earn less than the federal poverty level.
—Lynn Forester De Rothschild, Time, 11 May 2025
Most sports have legislated against transgender athletes’ participation at both the elite and grassroots levels, among them the Rugby Football Union, the England and Wales Cricket Board, British Cycling, UK Athletics and British Triathlon.
—Katie Whyatt, New York Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for legislate
Cite this Entry
“Legislate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legislate. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
legislate
verb
leg·is·late
ˈlej-ə-ˌslāt
legislated; legislating
1
: to make laws
the constitutional power to legislate
2
: to cause, establish, or regulate by legislation
legislating foreign trade
Legal Definition
legislate
verb
leg·is·late
ˈle-jəs-ˌlāt
legislated; legislating
: to perform the function of legislation
specifically
: to make or enact laws
: to cause, create, provide, or bring about by legislation
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