imposeverb
uk/ɪmˈpəʊz/us/ɪmˈpoʊz/impose verb (FORCE)
C1 [ T ] to officially force a rule, tax, punishment, etc. to be obeyed or received:
Very high taxes have recently been imposed on cigarettes.
Judges are imposing increasingly heavy fines for minor driving offences.
The council has imposed a ban on alcohol in the city parks.
C1 [ T ] to force someone to accept something, especially a belief or way of living:
I don't want them to impose their religious beliefs on my children.
We must impose some kind of order on the way this office is run.
More examples
- He wants the government to impose strict controls on dog ownership.
- In view of the quantity of drugs involved, 16 years was the most lenient sentence the judge could impose.
- The government has failed to impose its will upon regional communities.
- Central government has imposed a cap on local tax increases.
- Some people like the sense of structure that a military lifestyle imposes.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Causing somebody to act
- a kick up the arse/backside idiom
- arm-twisting
- bludgeon
- bounce
- bounce sb into sth
- bulldoze
- force sb's hand idiom
- forcible
- hold sb to ransom idiom
- impel
- jolt
- push
- railroad
- screw
- shanghai
- slap sth on/onto (sth/sb)
- squeeze
- squeeze sth out of sb
- trap
- wring sth from/out of sb
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impose verb (EXPECT)
[ I ] to expect someone to do something for you or spend time with you when they do not want to or when it is not convenient for them:
Are you sure it's all right for me to come tonight? I don't want to impose.
She's always imposing on people - asking favours and getting everyone to do things for her.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Treating people or animals badly
- a raw deal idiom
- at the hands of sb idiom
- batten
- batten on sb
- be heavy on sb idiom
- bleed
- grind
- jerk sb around
- knife
- knock
- knock sb around
- lay a finger on sb idiom
- put sb through sth
- shit on sb
- shortchange
- shove
- shove sb around
- smite
- torment
- walk all over sb idiom
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