enforcer

noun

en·​forc·​er in-ˈfȯr-sər How to pronounce enforcer (audio)
en-
Synonyms of enforcernext
1
: one that enforces
2
a
: a violent criminal employed by a crime syndicate
especially : hit man sense 1
b
: a player (as in ice hockey) known for rough play and fighting

Examples of enforcer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The would-be moral enforcers aren’t much better. Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 17 May 2026 In the current case, Jimmy Gerodemos allegedly ordered enforcers to try to recoup around $100,000 owed between four men — $45,000 from Victim 1; $30,000 Victim 2; $7,500 from Victim 3; and nearly $25,000 from Victim 4. Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026 At the center of this comedic cat-and-mouse chase was Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, a longtime ally of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has gone from a powerful enforcer of a bloody drug crackdown to a wanted criminal on the run. Kathleen Magramo, CNN Money, 13 May 2026 In the vacuum left by absent landlords and ineffective courts, communities turned instead to local strongmen—enforcers who offered protection for a price. Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for enforcer

Word History

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of enforcer was in 1580

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Cite this Entry

“Enforcer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enforcer. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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