Enforce

How to spell enforce

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce enforce

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does enforce mean?

1. verbTo compel observance of or compliance with a law, rule, or obligation.

Enforce in a sentence

• The council will enforce the new parking restrictions from Monday.

• Managers are expected to enforce the safety policy on every site.

Where does enforce come from?

Language of origin: French

This verb traces back to the Latin adjective fortis, meaning 'strong' or 'powerful', the same root that gives us 'force', 'fort', and 'fortify'. In Old French it became enforcier, formed with the prefix en- meaning 'to make' or 'cause to be', so the original idea was literally to make something strong or to strengthen it. English borrowed it in the 1300s, and at first it could mean to gain strength or to compel by physical might. Over time the sense narrowed to the modern meaning of compelling people to obey a rule, law, or agreement. The spelling is straightforward once you remember the everyday word 'force' sitting inside it, simply preceded by the en- prefix.

How the word is built

• en- (cause to be, make)
• force (strength, from Latin fortis 'strong')