legislate
verb
leg·is·late
ˈle-jə-ˌslāt 
legislated; legislating
: to perform the function of legislation
specifically
: to make or enact laws
: to mandate, establish, or regulate by or as if by legislation
Examples of legislate in a Sentence
They are attempting to legislate morality.
the need to better legislate foreign trade
trying to legislate changes in the current law
Recent Examples on the Web
In an era of deep political polarization, the temptation to legislate from the Oval Office is stronger than ever.
—
Casey Burgat, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research NO: California’s excessive housing costs and regulations cannot be legislated into profitability by the insurance commissioner without the insurance industry being able to accurately assess risks and project real rebuilding costs.
—Phillip Molnar, The Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2025
Former Majority Leader McConnell idled while constitutional power hemorrhaged from Congress to the White House: the war power, the treaty power, the power of the purse, the oversight power and the power to legislate.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2025
Unfortunately, the Congress of the last few years has been characterized by a consistent inability to do the basics, let alone legislate much of anything at all.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for legislate 
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Casey Burgat, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research NO: California’s excessive housing costs and regulations cannot be legislated into profitability by the insurance commissioner without the insurance industry being able to accurately assess risks and project real rebuilding costs.
—Phillip Molnar, The Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2025
Former Majority Leader McConnell idled while constitutional power hemorrhaged from Congress to the White House: the war power, the treaty power, the power of the purse, the oversight power and the power to legislate.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2025
Unfortunately, the Congress of the last few years has been characterized by a consistent inability to do the basics, let alone legislate much of anything at all.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for legislate
Dictionary Entries Near legislate
Cite this Entry
“Legislate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legislate. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
legislate
verb
leg·is·late
ˈlej-ə-ˌslāt
legislated; legislating
1
: to make laws
the constitutional power to legislate
2
: to cause, establish, or regulate by legislation
legislating foreign trade
Legal Definition
legislate
verb
leg·is·late
ˈle-jəs-ˌlāt
legislated; legislating
: to perform the function of legislation
specifically
: to make or enact laws
: to cause, create, provide, or bring about by legislation
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