nonenforcement

noun

non·​en·​force·​ment ˌnän-in-ˈfȯr-smənt How to pronounce nonenforcement (audio)
-en-
: failure or refusal to enforce or carry out something (such as a law or order) : lack of enforcement
their nonenforcement of the new rule

Examples of nonenforcement in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In a separate opinion, dissenting in part, Rao disagreed that prescription requirements of the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act apply to drugs administered for capital punishment and asserted that prisoners had no authority to challenge its nonenforcement. — Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2020 And some states significantly limit the level of nonenforcement that lower jurisdictions can exercise, Politico reports. — Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Aug. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonenforcement was in 1848

Rhymes for nonenforcement

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Browse Nearby Words

non-energy
nonenforcement
nonengagement
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Cite this Entry

“Nonenforcement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonenforcement. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.

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