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unenforceable

unenforceable

7 7.7
A law, contract, or rule that courts cannot make people follow
  • adjective
  • /ˌʌnɪnˈfɔːrsəbl/
  • Formal
translation icon : inexigible
  • Many experts believe that the new regulations are largely unenforceable in practice.
  • unenforceable agreement
  • unenforceable laws
  • unenforceable standards

So they just move the goal posts and it's totally unenforceable for the most part.

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Examples

  • The agreement was deemed unenforceable by the court due to lack of mutual consent.

  • But if Archbishop Pilarczyk is right, our problem is that canon law is essentially unenforceable.

    Academic text (2004)
  • So they just move the goal posts and it's totally unenforceable for the most part.

  • One response is to hold that the non disclosure agreement is should be unenforceable as against public policy.

  • As with the laws in Mall, the American law is unenforceable.

    Academic text (1995)
  • I think a government ban would be largely unenforceable, frankly, on Bitcoin, being that it's pure information.

  • The uproar, the possible damage to trade, plus the fact that taxes are clearly unenforceable finally forces the British government to back down.

  • Another doctrine holds that contracts are unenforceable to the extent that they are contrary to public policy.

    Academic text (2018)
  • A contract can be deemed unenforceable when the terms are patently unfair to one of the parties.

    Blog text (20)
  • Although such a clause would certainly limit tenant rights under the warranty of habitability, it is unenforceable in some states.

    Academic text (1991)

Synonyms

nonoperative
vsunenforceable
  • Formal
6.8

Not in effect and without legal force

cannot be enforced or made effective by legal or other means
noneffective
vsunenforceable
  • Formal
7.0

Not legally valid so it cannot be enforced

cannot be enforced or made effective by law or usual methods

Antonyms

enforceable
  • Specialized
14 6.6

A law, rule, or agreement that officials can force people to follow

How Enforceable

binding
  • Formal
4.6
enforceable
  • Specialized
14 6.6
unenforceable
  • Formal
7 7.7

Surface Forms

unenforceable positive

Morphology

unenforceable = enforceable (transparent) = un + enforce + able

The adjective is formed by negating 'enforceable' (enforce + -able) with 'un-', so the meaning 'not able to be enforced' is directly derived.

Etymology

Unenforceable breaks into un- 'not', enforce 'to put into force', and -able 'can', and enforce is like the common word force meaning 'power'. So a law or rule that is unenforceable is 'not able' to be made to work or to make people follow it by law or power.