enforce
verb B2
Plain meaning
make people obey a law or rule
Exam-register meaning
In academic or exam writing, this is used to discuss make people obey a law or rule in a more precise way.
In context
naturalThe team tried to enforce rules before the deadline.
examThe passage suggests that institutions may need to enforce rules in order to improve long-term outcomes.
Common collocations
enforce rulesenforce the lawenforce regulations
Watch out
Do not pair it with a random object. Learn the full pattern, e.g., “enforce rules”. Also avoid confusing it with “apply”.