enforce

enforce — verb

1. to use your authority to guarantee that a law, rule, or agreement is obeyed and

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to use your authority to guarantee that a law, rule, or agreement is obeyed and that violations are punished

例句

The police department works hard to enforce traffic laws across the city.

enforce + traffic laws — law as object

New safety rules were enforced after the fire at the factory.

passive: rules were enforced

同義詞
  • implement

    Focuses on putting a decision or plan into effect; 'implement' is broader and less about punishment.

  • uphold

    Suggests maintaining a principle or standard; slightly more formal and often moral in tone.

  • administer

    Covers managing and applying rules in a system; less forceful than 'enforce'.

反義詞
  • ignore

    To deliberately take no notice of a rule; the opposite of acting to ensure compliance.

  • neglect

    To fail to carry out enforcement duties, often due to carelessness rather than intent.

文法句型

enforce + [law/rule/regulation]

用法筆記

Subject is typically an authority or institution (police, government, school, court). Frequently passive: 'a law is enforced by …'. The object is always the rule or law itself — not the person who breaks it.

常見錯誤

❌The police enforced the criminals to stop.
✅The police enforced the law against the criminals.
💡'enforce' takes the rule or law as its object, not the person.
❌The guards enforced the students to leave.
✅The guards forced the students to leave.
💡Use 'force' + person + infinitive when you make a person do something.

2. to force a particular situation, policy, or standard to be put into place and fo

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to force a particular situation, policy, or standard to be put into place and followed

例句

The manager enforced strict discipline by removing anyone who arrived late.

enforce + discipline — abstract standard

Liang's parents tried to enforce a curfew, but he often stayed out late.

同義詞
  • impose

    Emphasises putting a burden or restriction on someone; feels heavier than 'enforce'.

  • compel

    Directly targets a person rather than a rule; 'compel someone to do something'.

  • require

    Less forceful than 'enforce'; focuses on necessity rather than authority-backed pressure.

反義詞
  • allow

    To permit something rather than force it; the direct opposite of compelling action.

  • waive

    To voluntarily give up the right to enforce a rule or requirement.

文法句型

enforce + [discipline/compliance/a ban/a curfew]

用法筆記

Common with nouns that describe standards or restrictions: 'discipline', 'a ban', 'a curfew', 'a policy', 'compliance'. The person doing the enforcing has authority over the situation, not necessarily a formal legal role.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher enforced the students to be quiet.
✅The teacher enforced the no-talking rule.
💡Even in this sense, the object is the restriction or standard, not the person.