verb · 14 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
General-American:ĭnfôrsʹ
General-American:/ɪnˈfoɹs/
General-American:
Received-Pronunciation:/ɪnˈfɔːs/
Received-Pronunciation:
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
-fōrsʹrhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
/-ˈfo(ː)ɹs/rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
/-ˈfoəs/non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)s
CMU ARPABET:EH0 N F AO1 R S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To keep up, impose or bring into effect something, not necessarily by force.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The police are there to enforce the law.
1929, Chiang Kai-shek, quoted in “Nationalist Notes,” Time, 11 February, 1929, Our task is only half finished. It will be my duty to enforce the decisions of the conference and I hereby pledge myself to that end.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To apply a rule or enforcement action to a person or user account.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
This will give us the tools we need to enforce accounts like these.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To give strength or force to; to affirm, to emphasize.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The victim was able to enforce his evidence against the alleged perpetrator.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To strengthen (a castle, town etc.) with extra troops, fortifications etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To intensify, make stronger, add force to.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To exert oneself, to try hard.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, reflexive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To compel, oblige (someone or something); to force.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
To make or gain by force; to force.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
Examples
to enforce a passage
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
verb
Meaning 9
To put in motion or action by violence; to drive.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
verb
Meaning 10
To give force to; to strengthen; to invigorate; to energize.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
Examples
to enforce arguments or requests
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
verb
Meaning 11
To urge; to ply hard; to lay much stress upon.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
verb
Meaning 12
To prove; to evince.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
verb
Meaning 13
ensure observance of laws and rules;
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Apply the rules to everyone
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: implement, apply
Antonyms: exempt
Broader terms: compel, oblige, obligate
Narrower terms: run, execute
14
verb
Meaning 14
compel to behave in a certain way
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Social relations impose courtesy
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: impose
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: compel, oblige, obligate
History
Etymology
From Middle English enforcen, from Old French enforcier, from Late Latin infortiāre, from in- + fortis (“strong”).
Across languages
Translations
94 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
налагам
(nalagam)
— to keep up
Chinese Mandarin:
實施 /实施
(shíshī)
— to keep up
Chinese Mandarin:
執行 /执行
(zhíxíng)
— to keep up
Czech:
prosazovat
— to keep up
Czech:
vynucovat
— to keep up
Czech:
udržovat
— to keep up
Czech:
vynutit
— to keep up
Dutch:
handhaven
— to keep up
Esperanto:
eldevigi
— to keep up
Finnish:
valvoa
— to keep up
Finnish:
ylläpitää
— to keep up
Georgian:
აღსრულება
(aɣsruleba)
— to keep up
Georgian:
აღასრულებს
(aɣasrulebs)
— to keep up
German:
vollstrecken
— to keep up
German:
durchsetzen
— to keep up
Hungarian:
érvényre juttat
— to keep up
Hungarian:
érvényt szerez
— to keep up
Hungarian:
érvényesít
— to keep up
Hungarian:
betartat
— to keep up
Hungarian:
elfogadtat
— to keep up
Hungarian:
keresztülvisz
— to keep up
Hungarian:
kikényszerít
— to keep up
Hungarian:
kierőszakol
— to keep up
Hungarian:
végrehajt
— to keep up
Hungarian:
megvalósít
— to keep up
Hungarian:
fenntart
— to keep up
Irish:
cuir i bhfeidhm
— to keep up
Italian:
applicare
— to keep up
Italian:
rispettare
— to keep up
Italian:
fare rispettare
— to keep up
Māori:
whakauruhi
— to keep up
Spanish:
hacer cumplir
— to keep up
Spanish:
hacer respetar
— to keep up
Spanish:
aplicar
— to keep up
Spanish:
enforzar
— to keep up
Spanish:
imponer
— to keep up
Swedish:
upprätthålla
— to keep up
Ottoman Turkish:
صالمق
(salmak)
— to keep up
Bulgarian:
настоявам
(nastojavam)
— to affirm
Czech:
potvrdit
— to affirm
Czech:
potvrzovat
— to affirm
Finnish:
vahvistaa
— to affirm
Hungarian:
megerősít
— to affirm
Hungarian:
hangsúlyoz
— to affirm
Italian:
far valere
— to affirm
Norwegian Bokmål:
håndheve
— to affirm
Bulgarian:
укрепявам
(ukrepjavam)
— (obsolete in English) to strengthen
Czech:
posílit
— (obsolete in English) to strengthen
Czech:
posilovat
— (obsolete in English) to strengthen
Dutch:
versterken
— (obsolete in English) to strengthen
Finnish:
vahvistaa
— (obsolete in English) to strengthen
French:
renforcer
— (obsolete in English) to strengthen
Greek:
ισχυροποιώ
(ischyropoió)
— (obsolete in English) to strengthen
Hungarian:
megerősít
— (obsolete in English) to strengthen
Hungarian:
megszilárdít
— (obsolete in English) to strengthen
Italian:
rafforzare
— (obsolete in English) to strengthen
Portuguese:
reforçar
— (obsolete in English) to strengthen
Romanian:
întări
— (obsolete in English) to strengthen
Spanish:
reforzar
— (obsolete in English) to strengthen
Swedish:
förstärka
— (obsolete in English) to strengthen
Czech:
zesílit
— (obsolete in English) to intensify
Czech:
zesilovat
— (obsolete in English) to intensify
Finnish:
vahvistaa
— (obsolete in English) to intensify
French:
intensifier
— (obsolete in English) to intensify
Hungarian:
erősít
— (obsolete in English) to intensify
Hungarian:
felerősít
— (obsolete in English) to intensify
Hungarian:
fokoz
— (obsolete in English) to intensify
Italian:
intensificare
— (obsolete in English) to intensify
Spanish:
intensificar
— (obsolete in English) to intensify
Czech:
vynutit
— (obsolete in English) to exert oneself, try hard
Czech:
vynucovat
— (obsolete in English) to exert oneself, try hard
Finnish:
käyttää
— (obsolete in English) to exert oneself, try hard
German:
durchsetzen
— (obsolete in English) to exert oneself, try hard
Hungarian:
erőfeszítést tesz
— (obsolete in English) to exert oneself, try hard
Hungarian:
igyekszik
— (obsolete in English) to exert oneself, try hard
Hungarian:
megerőlteti magát
— (obsolete in English) to exert oneself, try hard
Italian:
sforzare
— (obsolete in English) to exert oneself, try hard
Romanian:
obliga
— (obsolete in English) to exert oneself, try hard
Bulgarian:
принуждавам
(prinuždavam)
— (obsolete in English) to compel
Czech:
přinutit
— (obsolete in English) to compel
Czech:
přinucovat
— (obsolete in English) to compel
Esperanto:
devigi
— (obsolete in English) to compel
Finnish:
pakottaa
— (obsolete in English) to compel
French:
imposer
— (obsolete in English) to compel
French:
obliger
— (obsolete in English) to compel
Hungarian:
kényszerít
— (obsolete in English) to compel
Hungarian:
rákényszerít
— (obsolete in English) to compel
Hungarian:
ösztönöz
— (obsolete in English) to compel
Hungarian:
késztet
— (obsolete in English) to compel
Hungarian:
indít
— (obsolete in English) to compel
Italian:
costringere
— (obsolete in English) to compel
Italian:
forzare
— (obsolete in English) to compel
Italian:
obbligare
— (obsolete in English) to compel
Italian:
imporre
— (obsolete in English) to compel
