Meanings
present singular third person enacts · participle present enacting · participle past enacted · past enacted
- transitivelawTo make (a bill) into law.
The practical effect of the Government's new anti-strike bill on the rail disputes in Great Britain is awaited, after the legislation was enacted.
2023 December 27, Mel Holley, “Network News: Minimum Service Levels legislation comes into force”, in RAIL, number 999, page 14 - transitiveTo act the part of; to play.
I did enact Julius Caesar.
c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii] - transitiveTo do; to effect.
The king enacts more wonders than a man.
c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv]
Synonyms & antonyms
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinactum
- Old Frenchacte“perform, do”
- Latinin-“in”
- Old Frenchen-“to cause to be”
- Middle Englishenacten
- Englishenact
From Middle English enacten, from en-, from Old French en- (“to cause to be”), from Latin in- (“in”) and Old French acte (“perform, do”), from Latin actum, past participle of ago (“set in motion”).
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek νομίζω
- νομίζω (nomízō)to make (a bill) into law
Bulgarian прокарвам, играя ролята на
- прокарвам (prokarvam)to make (a bill) into law
- играя ролята на (igraja roljata na)to act the part of; to play
Finnish säätää laki, hyväksyä laki
- säätää lakito make (a bill) into law
- hyväksyä lakito make (a bill) into law
- näytelläto act the part of; to play
- esittääto act the part of; to play
- soveltaato do; to effect
French promulguer, jouer
- promulguerto make (a bill) into law
- jouerto act the part of; to play
German spielen, ausführen
- spielento act the part of; to play
- ausführento do; to effect
Greek θεσπίζω
- θεσπίζω (thespízo)to make (a bill) into law
Irish reachtaigh, achtaigh
- reachtaighto make (a bill) into law
- achtaighto make (a bill) into law
Italian promulgare, approvare
- promulgareto make (a bill) into law
- approvareto make (a bill) into law
- interpretareto act the part of; to play
- realizzareto do; to effect
- apportareto do; to effect
Latin scisco, scisco
- sciscoto make (a bill) into law
- sciscoto act the part of; to play
- sciscoto do; to effect
Māori whakature, pāhi
- whakatureto make (a bill) into law
- pāhito make (a bill) into law
Portuguese promulgar, passar
- promulgarto make (a bill) into law
- passarto make (a bill) into law
- interpretarto act the part of; to play
- realizarto do; to effect
Russian постановлять, принима́ть
- постановлять (postanovljatʹ)to make (a bill) into law
- принима́ть (prinimátʹ)to make (a bill) into law
- игра́ть (igrátʹ)to act the part of; to play
Spanish enactuar, interpretar
- enactuarto make (a bill) into law
- interpretarto act the part of; to play
- enactuarto act the part of; to play
Swedish anta, stadga
- antato make (a bill) into law
- stadgato make (a bill) into law
- föreskrivato make (a bill) into law
- spelato act the part of; to play
- uppförato act the part of; to play
- utförato do; to effect
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with enact
Anagrams
Cite this entry
enact. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/enact
“enact.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/enact. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “enact,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/enact.
Source: enact on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.