ENGLISH
REFERENCE

imposes

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ɪmˈpoʊzəz// UK //ɪmpˈəʊzɪz// im·pos·es Archaic

v. to force a rule, tax, or belief on someone. You use this when someone in power makes people follow a new law or system.

v. to force the acceptance or implementation of a rule, tax, or belief. Transitive — requires a direct object, often followed by the preposition 'on' or 'upon'.


SIMPLE

The government imposes a new tax on fuel.

CONTEXTUAL

The school principal imposes strict rules on student behavior to maintain a quiet learning environment.

COMPLEX

While the central bank imposes higher interest rates to curb inflation, the immediate effect is often a slowdown in consumer spending across the retail sector.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive and typically takes the preposition 'on' or 'upon' before the person or group affected.

Pitfall

The law imposes to everyoneThe law imposes on everyoneImpose is not followed directly by a prepositional phrase without an object, or it requires 'on' when indicating the target.

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