Meaning & use
legislate
Last updated
To make or enact laws, or to bring about a particular outcome by passing legislation.
See it in a sentence
Congress attempted to legislate stricter emissions standards for automakers.
You can't legislate kindness, but you can create incentives for better behavior.
A note on using this word
Often used figuratively, as in 'you can't legislate morality,' to mean forcing a social or behavioral outcome through law.
Words with a similar meaning
enactregulate
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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