enter

1 of 2

verb

en·​ter ˈen-tər How to pronounce enter (audio)
entered; entering ˈen-t(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce enter (audio)

intransitive verb

1
: to go or come in
2
: to come or gain admission into a group : join
often used with into
3
a
: to make a beginning
entering upon a career
b
: to begin to consider a subject
usually used with into or upon
4
: to go upon land for the purpose of taking possession
5
a
: to come onstage
usually used in the subjunctive as a stage direction
enter Hamlet reading
b
: to come into a preestablished situation or context like an actor coming onstage
usually used in the subjunctive
enter the new principal with her radical ideas
6
: to play a part : be a factor
other considerations enter when money is involved

transitive verb

1
: to come or go into
enter a room
2
: inscribe, register
enter the names of qualified voters
3
: to cause to be received or admitted
enter a child at a school
4
: to put in : insert
enter the new data into the computer
5
a
: to make a beginning in
enter politics
b
: to go into (a particular period of time)
enter middle age
6
: to become a member of or an active participant in
enter the university
enter a race
7
: to make report of (a ship or its cargo) to customs authorities
8
: to place in proper form before a court of law or upon record
enter a writ
9
: to go into or upon and take actual possession of (something, such as land)
10
: to put formally on record
entering a complaint
enterable adjective

enter-

2 of 2

combining form

variants or entero-
: intestine
enteritis
Phrases
enter into
1
: to make oneself a party to or in
enter into an agreement
2
: to form or be part of
your prejudices shouldn't enter into it
3
: to participate or share in
enter into the spirit of the occasion
enter the lists
: to engage in a fight or struggle
Choose the Right Synonym for enter

enter, penetrate, pierce, probe mean to make way into something.

enter is the most general of these and may imply either going in or forcing a way in.

entered the city in triumph

penetrate carries a strong implication of an impelling force or compelling power that achieves entrance.

the enemy penetrated the fortress

pierce means an entering or cutting through with a sharp pointed instrument.

pierced the boil with a lancet

probe implies penetration to investigate or explore something hidden from sight or knowledge.

probed the depths of the sea

Examples of enter in a Sentence

Verb Knock on the door before you enter the room. The medication will quickly enter the blood stream. The river enters the sea near here. Our son will be entering college next year. enter a child in kindergarten The new battleship is scheduled to enter service next spring. an actor who's just now entering his prime The strike has now entered its second week. We've entered a new phase in our relationship. The country is entering a period of prosperity.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Humanitarian groups say Israeli restrictions have severely limited the amount of aid entering Gaza. Miriam Berger, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Art Hunting in Venice Photo: Getty Images With a ban on cruise ships entering its historic center, a proposal to limit day-trippers, and a goal of becoming a global sustainability leader, Venice is working toward a brighter future. Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 12 Mar. 2024 Israel’s siege on Gaza has drastically diminished essential supplies entering the strip, where Palestinians are facing starvation, dehydration and hunger. Scott McLean, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 Sadly, Carmen didn’t live to see the Raspberries enter the Hall of Fame themselves or even appear on a ballot. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2024 Aid still enters Gaza from Israel through the Kerem Shalom border crossing as well as from Egypt through the Rafah crossing. Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 Seal entry points: Seal cracks and gaps in doors, windows and screens to prevent crane flies from entering your home. The Arizona Republic, 12 Mar. 2024 Months later, border officials told Grant that the man had entered Australia, and he was ultimately charged with contempt of court. Matt Burgess, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2024 This means once information is entered, it cannot be altered, ensuring the integrity and reliability of tax records—everywhere. David Marley, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'enter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English entren, from Anglo-French entrer, from Latin intrare, from intra within; akin to Latin inter between — more at inter-

Combining form

Greek, from enteron — more at inter-

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 3a

Time Traveler
The first known use of enter was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near enter

Cite this Entry

“Enter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enter. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

enter

verb
en·​ter ˈent-ər How to pronounce enter (audio)
entered; entering ˈent-ə-riŋ How to pronounce enter (audio)
ˈen-triŋ
1
: to go or come in or into
enter a room
2
: penetrate sense 1b, pierce
the needle enters the skin at an angle
3
: to cause to be admitted to : enroll
enter a child in kindergarten
4
a
: to become a member of
b
: to take part in : join
enter a race
enter into a discussion
5
: to make a beginning
enter into business
6
: to take possession
entered upon their inheritance
7
a
: to set down in a book or list
entered my name on the roster
b
: to put in or into : insert
enter data into the computer program
8
: to place formally before a legal authority (as a court)
enter a complaint
enterable
ˈent-ə-rə-bəl How to pronounce enter (audio)
ˈen-trə-
adjective

Legal Definition

enter

intransitive verb
en·​ter
: to go or come in
specifically : to go upon real property by right of entry especially to take possession
lessor shall have the right to enter and take possession
often used in deeds and leases

transitive verb

1
: to come or go into
he breaks into and enters a vehicleCode of Alabama
see also break, breaking and entering
2
3
: to put in correct form before a court or on a record
entered judgment against the defendant
entering a plea
compare render
4
: to go upon (real property) by right of entry especially to take possession
if the lessee defaults, the lessor may enter the premises
compare distrain
enterable adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on enter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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