enclose

verb

en·​close in-ˈklōz 

en-

variants or less commonly inclose

in-ˈklōz 

enclosed also inclosed; enclosing also inclosing; encloses also incloses

transitive verb

1

a(1)

: to close in : surround

enclose a porch with glass

(2)

: to fence off (common land) for individual use

b

: to hold in : confine

2

: to include along with something else in a parcel or envelope

a check is enclosed herewith

Synonyms of enclose

• house
• encase
• confine
• include
• surround
• envelop

Examples of enclose in a Sentence

The pie's flaky crust encloses a fruit filling.

Enclose the fish in foil and bake.

She enclosed a photo with the card.

Please enclose a check with your application.

Enclosed with this letter are the tickets you ordered.

Recent Examples on the Web

The outdoor cinema is wrapped by a rough-hewn Brutalist perimeter—half-lined with concrete cubes, the other half enclosed with planks salvaged from the boardwalk destroyed during Hurricane Sandy. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026

The brand’s first offering is Travel Discovery Set ($135), featuring five scents enclosed in a sleek silver cigarette case, which feels substantial and heavy in the hand, like something your grandmother might have owned. — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026

The grill is centrally located for easy access, with a sink to the left and a countertop for food prep on the right, and the cooking space is enclosed in a large frame with extra storage and a canopy for shade to cool off on hot summer days. — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 2 Sep. 2026

Nearby is The Birth, 2026, a ziggurat partly woven from bags of fertilizer, enclosing a film installation about the assembly of drones, shot in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. — Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, probably from enclos enclosed, from Anglo-French, past participle of enclore to enclose, from Vulgar Latin *inclaudere, alteration of Latin includere — more at include

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Rhymes for enclose

• aloes
• arose
• bestows
• boroughs
• buboes
• cargoes
• cocos
• compos
• compose
• crossbows
• demos
• depose

Kids Definition

enclose

verb

en·​close

variants also inclose

in-ˈklōz

1

a

: to close in : surround

enclose a porch with glass

b

: to hold in : confine

enclose animals in a pen

2

: to place in a parcel or envelope

enclose a card with the present