entail

verb

en·tail | \ in-ˈtāl

, en-\

entailed; entailing; entails

Definition of entail

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to impose, involve, or imply as a necessary accompaniment or result the project will entail considerable expense

2 : to restrict (property) by limiting the inheritance to the owner's lineal descendants or to a particular class thereof

3a : to confer, assign, or transmit (something) for an indefinitely long time : to confer, assign, or transmit as if by entail entailed on them indelible disgrace— Robert Browning

b : to fix (a person) permanently in some condition or status entail him and his heirs unto the crown— William Shakespeare

entail

noun

en·tail | \ ˈen-ˌtāl

, in-ˈtāl

Definition of entail (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : a restriction especially of lands by limiting the inheritance to the owner's lineal descendants or to a particular class thereof

b : an entailed (see entail entry 1 sense 2) estate

2 : something transmitted as if by entail

Other Words from entail Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about entail

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Other Words from entail

Verb

entailer \ in-ˈtā-lər

, en- \ noun

entailment \ in-ˈtāl-mənt

, en- \ noun

Examples of entail in a Sentence

Verb

Pregnancy involves the bodily dependence of the unborn child on its mother; in many cases, it entails a significant physical burden. — Cathleen Kaveny, Commonweal, 4 May 2007 … it was a Master Highlighter Event, a two-day guest appearance by one of Kinkade's specially trained assistants, who would highlight any picture bought during the event for free. Highlighting a picture is not that different from highlighting your hair: it entails stippling tiny bright dots of paint on the picture to give it more texture and luminescence. — Susan Orlean, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2001 Life is a difficult and complicated enterprise. It entails joy but also suffering, gain but also loss, hope but also despair. — Neal Gabler, Life: The Movie, 1998 Discourse is a social as well as an intellectual activity; it entails interaction between minds, and it revolves around something possessed in common. — David A. Hollinger, In the American Province, (1985) 1992 He accepted the responsibility, with all that it entails. a lavish wedding entails extensive planning and often staggering expense

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

About 56% of Americans favor a single-payer system, even though many don’t quite understand what Medicare for All might entail. — Tim Fernholz, Quartz, "Will Democratic front-runners regret rejecting private insurance?," 28 June 2019 Details about what the visit might entail are slim at this point. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "Queen Elizabeth Will Reportedly Invite President Trump for a State Visit This Summer," 8 Apr. 2019 Gillum did not specify in his concession speech what his future plans might entail. — Caroline Houck, Vox, "Andrew Gillum concedes Florida gubernatorial race," 17 Nov. 2018 And yet no one has come up with a cost for what even one slice of that massive job will entail. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Paying the toll on sea level rise," 20 June 2019 Baldwin’s new book, published earlier this year, breaks down what this disruption will entail. — Eshe Nelson, Quartz, "Globots and telemigrants: The new language of the future of work," 14 June 2019 As for what those sure-to-be thrilling installments will entail, the cast and crew have been careful not to reveal any spoilers. — Jennifer Aldrich, Country Living, "'Criminal Minds' Is Losing Its Wednesday Night Spot to Shemar Moore's 'S.W.A.T.'," 18 May 2019 Which brings us back to the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana on a late-summer day, where LVMH is hosting a preview of what Les Journées Particulières might entail. — Nick Remsen, Vogue, "In Mid-October, LVMH Will Offer a Rare Glimpse Into 76 of Its Worldwide Maisons," 27 Aug. 2018 Nicola, mother of four, encourages Heti to spend time with her youngest child to get a sense of what parenting entails. — Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, "Sheila Heti Wrestles with a Big Decision in “Motherhood”," 30 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'entail.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

16 Jul 2019

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The first known use of entail was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for entail

entail

verb

English Language Learners Definition of entail

: to have (something) as a part, step, or result

See the full definition for entail in the English Language Learners Dictionary

entail

transitive verb

en·tail | \ in-ˈtāl

Legal Definition of entail

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to make (an estate in real property) a fee tail : limit the descent of (real property) by restricting inheritance to specific descendants who cannot convey or transfer the property estates are entailed entire on the eldest male heir— Benjamin Franklin

entail

noun

Legal Definition of entail (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : an act or instance of entailing real property also : the practice of entailing property the repeal of the laws of entail would prevent the accumulation and perpetuation of wealth in select families — Thomas Jefferson — see also De Donis Conditionalibus

2 : an entailed estate in real property if entails had not become barrable— Eileen Spring

3 : the fixed line of descent of an entailed estate