enact

verb

en·​act i-ˈnakt How to pronounce enact (audio)
enacted; enacting; enacts

transitive verb

1
: to establish by legal and authoritative act
specifically : to make into law
enact a bill
2
: act out
enact a role
enactor noun

Examples of enact in a Sentence

Congress will enact legislation related to that issue. The law was finally enacted today.
Recent Examples on the Web All fueling operations were ceased and safety commands were enacted to prevent any potential danger to the crew. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024 Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on the city in 2020 in response to pro-democracy protests, and on Tuesday the Hong Kong government enacted another security law that gave the authorities even more power to punish dissent. Joy Dong, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 According to the chief executive, the new Article 23 law is meant to complement the existing national security apparatus and will be enacted on Saturday. Lily Kuo, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024 Under the new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini, the government immediately enacted a law requiring all women to wear a veil outside the home, regardless of their religion or nationality. Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2024 Belgium enacted a law in 2022 that requires employers to offer full-time workers a right to request a four-day workweek. Max Zahn, ABC News, 16 Mar. 2024 Now is the time for lawmakers to enact meaningful safeguards to protect our kids. Teresa Huizar, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024 The board also enacted a flag ban, which has been used elsewhere to target all Pride flags celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024 At least half of those states have enacted or passed measures pledging to switch to permanent daylight time if Congress changes the rules to allow for such an action. Diba Mohtasham, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'enact.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of enact was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near enact

Cite this Entry

“Enact.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enact. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

enact

verb
en·​act in-ˈakt How to pronounce enact (audio)
1
: to make (as a bill) into law
enact legislation
2
: to act out
enact a scene from a play
enactor noun

Legal Definition

enact

transitive verb
en·​act i-ˈnakt How to pronounce enact (audio)
: to establish by legal and authoritative act : make into law
enact a bill

More from Merriam-Webster on enact

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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