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
King will also be responsible for enforcing the city’s contracts with Nebius, a Dutch artificial intelligence services company set to break ground later this year on a $150 billion AI data center in eastern Independence.
—
Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
Earlier this year, officials began enforcing a nationwide ban on electronic cigarettes, with penalties that can include confiscation, fines and even detention.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Weiser’s plan, released Tuesday, calls for the state to shift investment toward preventive care, build on the Colorado Option and use the courts to challenge health care consolidation and enforce laws limiting surprise medical bills and aggressive debt collection.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2026
If exotic pets are being sold outside of pet stores, whether online or in person, that would be enforced by the state’s Environmental Conservation Police.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for enforce
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Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
Earlier this year, officials began enforcing a nationwide ban on electronic cigarettes, with penalties that can include confiscation, fines and even detention.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Weiser’s plan, released Tuesday, calls for the state to shift investment toward preventive care, build on the Colorado Option and use the courts to challenge health care consolidation and enforce laws limiting surprise medical bills and aggressive debt collection.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2026
If exotic pets are being sold outside of pet stores, whether online or in person, that would be enforced by the state’s Environmental Conservation Police.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 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 8 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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