Impose

To impose means to make someone accept or follow something, often when they don’t want to. It means to force rules, limits, or ideas on others. For example, the government imposed a curfew, and everyone had to stay indoors after dark. It can also mean to ask for someone’s time or help in a way that bothers them, like I don’t want to impose on your time. The word “impose” can sound negative when someone forces rules or ideas unfairly, like the manager imposed strict rules that made everyone unhappy. But sometimes it can be neutral or positive, when limits or laws are needed for order or safety, like the school imposed safety rules to protect students.