enlisted; enlisting; enlists
1
a
: to secure the support and aid of : employ in advancing an interest
enlist all the available resources
enlisted our help
b
: to win over : attract
trying to enlist my sympathies
2
: to engage (a person) for duty in the armed forces
1
: to enroll oneself in the armed forces
will enlist for three years
2
: to participate heartily (as in a cause, drive, or crusade)
Examples of enlist in a Sentence
They're enlisting volunteers for an experiment.
We enlisted all available resources.
I enlisted the help of our neighbors.
We enlisted the services of a professional.
They enlisted several new recruits.
After graduating, I enlisted in the navy.
He enlisted in the cause of world peace.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jin was the first to enlist in December 2022 and the first to be discharged last June.
—
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 1 July 2025
Collaborative decks, like the Slow Holler tarot, enlist dozens of artists from varied regional and marginalized identities to put their own spin on iconic images.
—John Last, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 June 2025
What might come as a surprise, however, is the news that a new and ongoing hack attack campaign is enlisting the help of your printer to hack your Windows systems.
—Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
The book examines his father’s experiences as a college dropout who impulsively enlisted in the Air Force and gets shipped overseas to Vietnam – and the long years of pain and PTSD that followed.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for enlist
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Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 1 July 2025
Collaborative decks, like the Slow Holler tarot, enlist dozens of artists from varied regional and marginalized identities to put their own spin on iconic images.
—John Last, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 June 2025
What might come as a surprise, however, is the news that a new and ongoing hack attack campaign is enlisting the help of your printer to hack your Windows systems.
—Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
The book examines his father’s experiences as a college dropout who impulsively enlisted in the Air Force and gets shipped overseas to Vietnam – and the long years of pain and PTSD that followed.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for enlist
Cite this Entry
“Enlist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enlist. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
enlist
verb
en·list
in-ˈlist 
1
a
: to enroll for military or naval service
especially
: to join one of the armed services voluntarily
b
: to participate heartily (as in a cause or drive)
2
: to obtain the help or support of
enlisted their friends in the campaign
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