enact

verb

en·​act i-ˈnakt 

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

i-ˈnak-tər 

noun

Synonyms

• constitute
• lay down
• legislate
• make
• ordain
• pass

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

House Republicans defended a bill that would enact sweeping tax cuts, raise the debt ceiling, and add restrictions to benefit programs during a heated marathon day of committee hearings on Capitol Hill. —Riley Beggin, USA Today, 13 May 2025

The Trump administration hopes the plan will be enacted by July 4. —Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025

The full impact on the complicated tariffs and other trade penalties enacted by Washington and Beijing remains unclear. —Arkansas Online, 13 May 2025

The legislation is just one piece of congressional Republicans’ plans to enact much of President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda through the budget reconciliation process, which would allow the GOP to pass a massive bill through narrow party-line votes in the House and the Senate. —Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for enact

• abstract
• attacked
• attract
• contact
• contract
• detract
• distract
• exact
• extract
• hijacked
• impact
• intact

Kids Definition

enact

verb

en·​act in-ˈakt 

1

: to make (as a bill) into law

enact legislation

2

: to act out

enact a scene from a play

enactor

-ˈak-tər 

noun

Legal Definition

enact

transitive verb

en·​act i-ˈnakt 

: to establish by legal and authoritative act : make into law

enact a bill