to impose

Examples

• All

• - Is there anything you would like to say to the court before I impose your sentence? - Yes, your honor.

  The Available Wife (2020)

• The United States plans to impose fresh sanctions against Russia and China.

• Then the court is ready to impose sentence.

  Love Child (1982)

• His plan is to impose an unfair tax on working people.

• We'll take every penalty possible and impose it on you that the law permits.

  Big Think

• The government has indeed had to impose restrictions on some sectors; for instance, to prevent overfishing.

  Academic text (1999)

• Again, every time you overdraft, the bank must impose a penalty of $35.

  Problemista (2024)

• In 2003, the legislature imposed Medicare fee schedules on workers' comp to control costs.

  Academic text (2011)

• Malaysia's prime minister, Mahathir bin Mohamad, has imposed complete controls indefinitely on all capital inflows and outflows.

  Academic text (1999)

• The government decided to impose a new tax on luxury goods.

Synonyms

O

to order

vsto impose

244 3.7

To make people follow rules

orders and can demand payments or penalties, not only general control

E

to enact

vsto impose

• Formal

172 4.7

To make a rule into law by an official vote or order

orders payment or obedience as authority action, not the lawmaking process

M

to mandate

vsto impose

• Formal

169 4.9

To officially require someone to do something

orders payment or obedience directly rather than only granting authority to act

T

to tax

vsto impose

150 1.9

To make people pay money to the government on income or goods

orders various rules, penalties, or charges beyond just government levies

F

to fine

vsto impose

107 3.4

Make someone pay money as punishment for breaking a law or rule

orders or requires payment or obedience beyond just monetary punishment

P

to penalize

vsto impose

• US

60 5.5

Punish someone or make them suffer a loss for breaking a rule

orders official penalties and collection, not only unfair or informal punishment

L

to legislate

vsto impose

• Formal

58 5.8

To make or change a law

orders or enforces penalties and charges directly, not only by making laws

D

to decree

vsto impose

• Formal

37 5.3

To order something officially by a government or official

orders specific payments or obedience and includes collecting charges, not only declarations

L

to levy

vsto impose

• Formal

11 5.4

To take money from people by official order

orders payment or obedience broadly and also may involve collection

P

to proscribe

vsto impose

• Formal

8 8.6

To forbid something by law or official rule

orders or requires payment or obedience rather than primarily forbidding actions

I

to impose a fine

vsto impose

• Formal

1 3.8

Officially order someone to pay money as punishment for breaking a rule

orders many measures including fines, taxes, or other penalties and collects them

I

to instate

vsto impose

1 6.6

To start a new rule or system and put it into use

orders payment or obedience and often includes collecting penalties, rather than just establishing rules

I

to imponed

vsto impose

• Archaic

9.9

To make someone pay a tax or accept a punishment

is the modern standard form for the same official ordering action

A

to amerce

vsto impose

• Archaic

9.9

To make someone pay a fine ordered by a court

orders penalties or charges more generally, not only court monetary punishments

I

to issue a ukase

vsto impose

• Formal

9.9

To give a strict official order that people must follow

orders payment or obedience in normal official ways rather than extremely absolute proclamations

Antonyms

W

to waive

• Formal

107 6.6

Choose not to use a right or to charge a fee

Phrasal Verbs

I

to impose on

60 5.5

To force someone to accept something or to ask too much of them

I

to impose one's beliefs

1 7.2

Force your beliefs on other people who do not want them

I

to impose a fine

• Formal

1 3.8

Officially order someone to pay money as punishment for breaking a rule

How Strict

to exact

• Formal

41 7.2

to enforce

417 4.1

to impose

• Formal

332 4.2

to apply

374 2.8

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology