enact

enact — verb

1. When a government, parliament, or other official body enacts a law or policy, it

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

When a government, parliament, or other official body enacts a law or policy, it formally approves it through a vote or decision-making process, making it legally binding and putting it into effect.

Example

The parliament enacted a new data privacy law that took effect in January.

passive: be enacted by [legislative body]

Taiwan's legislature enacted strict new regulations on food labelling last year.

collocation: enact regulations / legislation / reform

Common collocations
  • enact legislation
  • enact a law
  • enact reforms
  • enact measures
  • enact a ban
  • enact a policy
  • enact a statute
Synonyms
  • pass

    more general; used for any vote that approves a law or motion, without the same weight of formal ceremony

  • establish

    broader scope — can apply to systems, rules, or institutions, not limited to legislation

  • decree

    stronger, more authoritarian; suggests a single ruler or authority making the decision without a vote

Antonyms
  • repeal

    to officially cancel a law that was previously enacted

  • abolish

    to formally put an end to a system, practice, or institution

Grammar Patterns

enact + [law / bill / legislation / reform / measure / policy]

be enacted by [legislative body]

be enacted as [specific law name]

Usage Note

Frequently used in the passive voice. The grammatical subject is usually a formal body (e.g. parliament, congress, council, legislature) rather than a single individual. Colloquial alternatives include 'pass a law' (for legislative contexts) or 'introduce a rule' (for less formal settings).

Common Mistakes

The manager enacted a new office rule.
The manager introduced a new office rule.
'enact' implies a formal, official legislative or governmental procedure, not everyday workplace decisions.

2. To present a story, scene, or event through physical performance — for example,

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

To present a story, scene, or event through physical performance — for example, by acting out a dramatic script in a theatre, recreating a historical moment for an audience, or going through the steps of a traditional ritual in a ceremonial setting.

Example

The drama club enacted a short scene from a play by Arthur Miller.

enact + [scene / play / story]

Elementary students enacted the story of their town's founding during the anniversary celebration.

Common collocations
  • enact a scene
  • enact a story
  • enact a ritual
  • enact a drama
  • enact a reenactment
Synonyms
  • perform

    more general and widely used for any kind of presentation before an audience

  • act out

    more informal and often used for spontaneous or informal dramatizations

  • portray

    focuses on playing a specific character role rather than the entire scene or story

Grammar Patterns

enact + [scene / play / story / ritual / reenactment]

enact + [historical event]

Usage Note

This sense is more formal than everyday alternatives like 'act out' or 'perform'. It often appears in descriptions of educational reenactments, ceremonial rituals, or theatrical productions. The object is typically a creative or narrative work (scene, play, ritual) rather than a character role.

Common Mistakes

She enacted a famous singer at the party.
She imitated a famous singer at the party.
'enact' involves a scripted story or scene, not casual impersonation.

Word family

  • enactment
    nounC1
  • enactor
    nounC2
  • reenact
    verbB2
  • reenactment
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four verbs describe creating a rule or a law, but they differ in formality, scope, and the kind of authority involved. 'Enact' is the most precise legal term, pointing to the formal moment when a law becomes official after a vote — it suggests a deliberative, authorized process. 'Pass' is broader and more conversational; a bill can be passed by a simple majority in a committee or a parliament, and the word is common in news reporting. 'Establish' has the widest range — you can establish a law, a company, a school, or a habit — so it lacks the procedural weight of 'enact'. 'Decree' implies a top-down, often authoritarian command, usually from a single ruler or leader rather than a collective vote. 'Legislate' is the most abstract and technical, referring to the overall activity of making laws rather than a single act (e.g., 'It is the role of Congress to legislate'). In everyday writing, use 'enact' when you need to emphasize the official, binding nature of the law-making act; use 'pass' for simpler news-style reporting; and use 'decree' only when describing a non-democratic directive.

enact ↗pass ↗establish ↗decreelegislate

Common collocations

Nouns

  • enact legislation
  • enact a statute
  • enact a resolution
  • enact a directive

Adverbs

  • formally enacted
  • newly enacted
  • recently enacted
  • duly enacted

Phrases

  • enact into law

Prepositions

  • enact by [the legislature]
  • enact in [year]
  • enact as [law name]

Etymology

LatinFrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'enact' was formed in Middle English around the early 1400s by combining the prefix 'en-' (meaning to put into, bring into a condition) with the noun 'act' (from Latin 'actus', meaning a doing or a performance). The earliest recorded uses are in legal contexts, referring to the formal passing of a law. The theatrical sense — to perform a play or scene — developed later, in the late 16th century, extending the idea of 'putting an action into effect' to the stage.