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YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

enact

Verb

IPA /ɪˈnækt/

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Meaning in plain English

To make a proposed rule or law officially become law.

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Pronunciation

enact/ɪˈnækt/

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  1. A proposed law

  2. The lawmaking body passes it

  3. It officially becomes law

To enact legislation is to make it law.

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  1. In the story, the town council enacts a law to protect the old woodland.
  2. The students debated whether parliament should enact the proposed legislation.

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The students debated whether parliament should ________ the proposed legislation.
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enact — To make a proposed rule or law officially become law.

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To make a proposed rule or law officially become law.

Compare: In the story, the town council enacts a law to protect the old woodland.

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Word origin

Formed from en- and act, with influence from medieval Latin forms.

Did you know?

Enact often appears with law, legislation and bill in discussions of lawmaking.

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enact

/ɪˈnækt/ (Verb)

“Enact is formal. Enacting a law means making it law; enforcing it means making sure it is obeyed.”

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