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

Tariffs on Canada and Mexico were delayed for a month, but Trump did enact a new 10% across-the-board tariff on Chinese products. —Auzinea Bacon, CNN, 2 Mar. 2025

Drouin fears what will happen to the lobster industry if the trade dispute persists and Canada enacts a retaliatory tariff on lobsters. —Dee-Ann Durbin and Sally Ho, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2025

Similar reforms have been enacted in California, Virginia, Colorado, and Utah. —Patrick Gleason, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025

The new biological opinions, effective immediately, replace the rules enacted by the first Trump administration. —Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 28 Feb. 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