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
The orders from Trump have created a dilemma for states with a progressive agenda, like California, that have legislated to protect transgender identity.
—
Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025
New York would join at least eight states across partisan lines which have legislated statewide cell phone bans or restrictions: California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 28 Jan. 2025
The Soviets tried to legislate away genetics and natural selection in favor of a pseudoscience more in line with Communist ideology.
—Alex Knapp, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
Breaking Down All of Trump’s Day 1 Presidential Actions
To be fair, Trump is far from the only president to legislate from the wrong end of Pennsylvania Avenue.
—Casey Burgat, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for legislate 
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Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025
New York would join at least eight states across partisan lines which have legislated statewide cell phone bans or restrictions: California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 28 Jan. 2025
The Soviets tried to legislate away genetics and natural selection in favor of a pseudoscience more in line with Communist ideology.
—Alex Knapp, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
Breaking Down All of Trump’s Day 1 Presidential Actions
To be fair, Trump is far from the only president to legislate from the wrong end of Pennsylvania Avenue.
—Casey Burgat, TIME, 21 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 16 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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