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Prepositions after adjectives

Enforceable by or enforceable in?

Use enforceable by for the authority that can enforce something, and enforceable in for the place or legal system where it applies.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct with enforceable?

Enforceable by names the person, court, or authority that can apply or carry out a rule. Enforceable in names the country, state, court system, or situation where the rule has legal force.

The contract is enforceable by federal regulators.
The agreement is enforceable in California.
The fine is enforceable by local authorities.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
enforceable by + authority

Who can enforce it?

Use by to name the organisation, court, or person with legal power to enforce something.

The order is enforceable by the court.
The rules are enforceable by the agency.
2
enforceable in + place/system

Where is it legally valid?

Use in for a country, state, court system, or jurisdiction.

The clause is enforceable in New York.
The judgment is enforceable in several EU countries.
3
legally enforceable

Emphasising legal validity

Legally often appears before enforceable to stress that something has legal force.

The promise is legally enforceable under the contract.
The restriction is legally enforceable only in certain cases.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
enforceable by
The debt is enforceable by the bank.
The bank has the power to enforce it.
enforceable in
The ruling is enforceable in Canada.
The ruling has legal force in that jurisdiction.
enforceable under
The warranty is enforceable under state law.
The legal basis is named.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using by for a place

By normally introduces the enforcing authority, not the location.

✕ The agreement is enforceable by France. ✓ The agreement is enforceable in France.

Using in for the enforcing authority

In does not normally identify the organisation that enforces a rule.

✕ The policy is enforceable in the police. ✓ The policy is enforceable by the police.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The contract is enforceable ___ the courts.
2. The judgment is enforceable ___ Germany.
3. The rule is legally enforceable ___ federal law.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say enforceable under law?

Yes. Enforceable under law or enforceable under the contract are common legal patterns.

Is enforceable against also used?

Yes. Enforceable against names the person or party affected, such as enforceable against the tenant.

Is enforceable in always about countries?

No. It can also refer to states, courts, or legal systems.

eager-for-to-in-about, on "early in", "early on" or "early for"? earnest in, with, on, for or at? easy for, on, in, to or with? "economical with" or "economical in"? "ecstatic about" or "ecstatic with"? "effective in", "effective at" or "effective for"? "efficient in" or "efficient at"? elderly in, with, at, of or as? elegant in, with, of, as or to? eligible for, to, in or under? "embarrassed by" or "embarrassed about"?

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