entail

verb

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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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Synonyms & Antonyms for entail

Synonyms: Verb

Antonyms: Verb

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 As part of its new strategy, Great River would also increase its purchases in the wholesale electricity market (which could entail power generated from many sources, including fossil fuels). — Mike Hughlett, Star Tribune, 30 June 2021 Cardinal Raymond Burke, a leading conservative, went so far as to suggest that the church label such politicians as apostates, which would entail the denial of sacraments. — Peter Aitken, Fox News, 14 June 2021 Essentially, the fundamental function of healthcare cybersecurity, which must necessarily entail privacy protections, is to place controls on who can access what data within a system and prevent breaches and failures. — Charles Aunger, Forbes, 1 June 2021 Anja Weisgerber, the lawmaker who acts as the group's frontwoman on climate issues, claimed that Merkel was responsible for the European Union's collective climate ambitions, which also entail 55% emissions reductions by 2030. — David Meyer, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2021 The recommendation applies to Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines, which entail two shots, and Johnson and Johnson’s, which features a single dose. — Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2021 The entire crew involved in the show has been required to follow strict COVID-19 safety measures, which entail daily testing to prevent the spread of the virus. — Darlene Aderoju, PEOPLE.com, 30 Dec. 2020 Every fact might be available in a digital archive, but that doesn’t necessarily entail truth. — Kyle Chayka, The New Republic, 30 June 2021 What does the Lunch with Tanner Foust fundraiser entail? — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 25 June 2021

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

22 Jul 2021

Cite this Entry

“Entail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entail. Accessed 25 Jul. 2021.

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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