Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense enacts, present participle enacting, past tense, past participle enacted
1. verb
When a government or authority enacts a proposal, they make it into a law.
[technical]
The authorities have failed so far to enact a law allowing unrestricted emigration. [VERB noun]
The bill would be submitted for public discussion before being enacted as law. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: establish, order, pass, command More Synonyms of enact
2. verb
If people enact a story or play, they perform it by acting.
She often enacted the stories told to her by her father. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: perform, play, act, present More Synonyms of enact
3. verb [usually passive]
If a particular event or situation is enacted, it happens; used especially to talk about something that has happened before.
[journalism]
It was a scene which was enacted month after month for eight years. [beVERB-ed]
enact in British English
(ɪnˈækt)
verb(transitive)
1.
to make into an act or statute
2.
to establish by law; ordain or decree
3.
to represent or perform in or as if in a play; to act out
Derived forms
enactable (enˈactable)
adjective
enactive (enˈactive) or enactory (enˈactory)
adjective
enactment (enˈactment) or enaction (enˈaction) or enacture
noun
enactor (enˈactor)
noun
enact in American English
(ɛnˈækt; ɪnˈækt)
verb transitive
1.
to make (a bill, etc.) into a law; pass (a law); decree; ordain
2.
to represent or perform in or as in a play; act out
Derived forms
enactor (enˈactor)
noun
Examples of 'enact' in a sentence
enact
What law would you enact and why?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We must not enact laws which will endanger the lives of people in vulnerable situations.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The following laws were enacted to promote fair employment.
A Conceptual View of Human Resource Management: Strategic Objectives, Environments,Functions
This highlights how important it is for government to enact measures to help boost confidence.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The government has enacted measures that are supposed to make it easier.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He will try to form a national unity government to enact further painful economic measures.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
What law would you enact - and why?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
By continuing, only bad laws would be enacted.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But we didn't know anything of the dramas being enacted behind the scenes.
The Sun (2013)
These laws were enacted to encourage qualified individuals to serve on the boards of churches and other charities without undue concern about personal liability.
Christianity Today (2000)
Popular participation is generally limited to voting for elected officials, who then enact laws that are administered by large bureaucracies staffed by permanent government employees.
Appelbaum, Richard P. Sociology (1995)
It was made more lucrative by a change in the law enacted in 2009 under Labour.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The Socialist Government of the time then enacted a law making it harder for companies to dismiss workers.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It followed a pledge by the American and Chinese governments to enact almost complete bans on ivory imports.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
If enacted, the proposals will amount to a huge tilt in the law in the consumers' favour.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Confidence had also returned with the success of the reform programmes enacted by governments in Ireland and Portugal under the terms of their bailouts.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
A person must ask three times, once in writing, for the law to be enacted.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
On the other hand, to cut the government deficit, we are likely to see the less tasty proposals enacted in the very short term.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
And what does it mean for any of the myriad regulations that are enacted by the Government and which affect BT?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
In other languages
enact
British English: enact VERB
When a government or authority enacts a proposal, they make it into a law.
The authorities have failed so far to enact a law allowing unrestricted emigration.
American English: enact
Brazilian Portuguese: promulgar
Chinese: 通过
European Spanish: promulgar
French: promulguer
German: erlassen
Italian: promulgare
Japanese: 立法化する
Korean: > 제정하다법률을
European Portuguese: promulgar
Latin American Spanish: promulgar
1 (verb)
Definition
to establish by law
The bill would be submitted for discussion before being enacted as law.
Synonyms
establish
An autopsy was being done to establish the cause of death.
order
The President has ordered a full investigation.
pass
The Senate passed the bill by a vote of seventy-three to twenty-four.
command
approve
MPs approved the bill by a majority of 97.
sanction
He may seem ready to sanction the use of force.
proclaim
decree
He got the two men off the hook by decreeing a general amnesty.
authorize
We are willing to authorize a police raid.
ratify
They have yet to ratify the treaty.
ordain (formal)
He ordained that they should wear uniform in public.
validate
Give the retailer your winning ticket to validate.
legislate
make law
2 (verb)
Definition
to perform (a story or play) by acting
She enacted the stories told to her by her father.
Synonyms
perform
students performing Shakespeare's Macbeth
play
His ambition is to play the part of Dracula.
act
They were just acting tough.
present
The theatre is presenting a new production of `Hamlet'.
stage
She staged her first play at the Edinburgh Festival.
represent
put on
portray
He portrayed the king in a revival of `Camelot'.
depict
Children's books often depict animals as gentle creatures.