as in to implement
to carry out effectively
the duty of the police is to enforce the law
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Recent Examples of enforce
The department’s standing policy is based off a 2017 state law prohibiting Massachusetts police officers from enforcing civil immigration detainers.
—
Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026
Tybee Island has an open container ordinance, so drinks can be taken out onto the beach in to-go cups, but public intoxication laws will also be enforced.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
In other words, the market enforces its own quality control.
—Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 17 Apr. 2026
But Holman said the current administration has not been enforcing them.
—Huo Jingnan, NPR, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for enforce
Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026
Tybee Island has an open container ordinance, so drinks can be taken out onto the beach in to-go cups, but public intoxication laws will also be enforced.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
In other words, the market enforces its own quality control.
—Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 17 Apr. 2026
But Holman said the current administration has not been enforcing them.
—Huo Jingnan, NPR, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for enforce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enforce
Verb
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For now, Iran has not officially implemented a toll for the strait, which would be unprecedented.—
Brian Dakss,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
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In each of the 11 countries, a national agency or dedicated ministerial department was set up to implement and track the project, with a coordinating entity, the Pan-African Great Green Wall Agency, based in Mauritania.—
Julie Bourdin,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Conventional warfare, in which bombs are dropped, shipping channels are mined, and the Geneva Conventions apply more broadly, tends to be time-limited (even if the conflict endures for a long period of time).—
Sue Halpern,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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Catcher Lauren Cauthen applied the tag on the strike from Gonzalez, who is committed to Washington.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Enforce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enforce. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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