enforce

[en-fawrs, -fohrs] / ɛnˈfɔrs, -ˈfoʊrs /

VERB

put a rule, plan in force

Synonyms

STRONGEST

accomplish administer apply carry out implement impose invoke prosecute reinforce require sanction

STRONG

administrate coerce commandeer compel constrain demand dictate discharge dragoon drive effect emphasize exact execute exert expect extort fortify fulfill goad hound impel incite lash make necessitate oblige perform press spur strain stress strong-arm support urge whip wrest

WEAK

crack down egg on force upon insist on lean on put into effect put screws to

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cease halt not finish refuse stop

STRONG

check delay deter disapprove discourage dissuade fail forget give ignore leave alone let go lose miss neglect prevent release repress

WEAK

abandon disregard drop forego give up overlook

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Police said in a statement on the latest arrests that they had a duty to enforce the law "as it currently stands, not as it might be in the future".

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

The second line was that banning A.I. would just enforce our actual policies, because A.I. already tends to break rules.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

The First Amendment, he concludes, “stands as a shield against any effort to enforce orthodoxy in thought or speech.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

“Secure ballot envelope identifiers provide a reliable, auditable mechanism to enforce Federal law without unduly burdening or infringing on the rights of eligible voters,” the order reads.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

The three-judge panel issued a ruling lifting the stay on a district judge’s injunction to not enforce the ban on same-sex marriages.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

enforce

Example Sentences

Related Words