enter

verb

en·ter | \ ˈen-tər

entered; entering\ ˈen-t(ə-)riŋ

Definition of enter

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to go or come in

2 : to come or gain admission into a group : join —often used with into

3a : 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

5a : 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

5a : 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

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

enter-

combining form

variants: or entero-

Definition of enter- (Entry 2 of 2)

: intestine enteritis

Other Words from enter Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about enter

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Synonyms & Antonyms for enter

Synonyms: Verb

access, penetrate, pierce

Antonyms: Verb

depart, exit, leave

Choose the Right Synonym for enter

Verb

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

That’s because when light enters a stone, how that light is bent and reflected depends on the arrangement of the stone’s facets. — Mandy Behbehani, SFChronicle.com, "How to choose a lab-grown diamond," 10 June 2019 The agency said in a statement Friday that the agent was patrolling in Brownsville when bees entered his patrol vehicle. — BostonGlobe.com, "Pickup hits Amish horse-drawn carriage, killing 2 kids," 10 June 2019 The agency said in a statement Friday that the agent was patrolling the Rio Grande in Brownsville, in southernmost Texas, when bees entered his patrol vehicle. — Fox News, "Border agent saves migrant mother, son from Texas bee attack," 9 June 2019 The crowd cheered when the only Frenchman in the jump-off, Olivier Perreau, entered the ring with Venizia d'Aiguilly, only for home hopes to be dashed when the horse struck a pole coming into the double at the halfway point. — Danielle Rossingh, CNN, "Niels Bruynseels clinches first Global Champions win in Cannes," 9 June 2019 Peterson was slated to be the star of the game, the reliever who entered when Cole Henry got hurt and kept LSU afloat with 4 1/3 impressive innings. — Brody Miller, nola.com, "Despite Todd Peterson ‘heroics,’ LSU bullpen falls off in game one loss," 8 June 2019 Russin explained that the state also reports on the percent of students who enter schools conditionally—meaning, they aren’t fully vaccinated but plan to be in the future. — Joanna Pearlstein, WIRED, "California’s Vaccination Rate Slips as Medical Exemptions Rise," 7 June 2019 Bullock did not enter the race until the close of his state’s legislature in mid-May. — Vaughn Hillyard And Ben Kamisar, NBC News, "Bullock says he's being 'penalized' out of debate for doing his job," 6 June 2019 This spill did not enter the lake and was cleaned and disinfected by 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. — Rachel Berry, Cincinnati.com, "'Fatberg' clogs pipes at Winton Woods causing sewage overflow; lake remains closed," 6 June 2019

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

History and Etymology for enter

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-

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More Definitions for enter

enter

verb

English Language Learners Definition of enter

: to go or come into (something)

: to begin to be in (an organization, school, etc.)

: to cause (someone) to be in an organization, school, etc.

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

enter

verb

en·ter | \ ˈen-tər

entered; entering

Kids Definition of enter

1 : to come or go in or into enter a room enter middle age

2 : to stab into : pierce The thorn entered my thumb.

3 : to put into a list or book : write down The teacher entered my name on the roster.

4 : to put in or into Enter the data into the computer.

5 : to become a member of I entered a fitness club.

6 : to become a participant in or take an interest in enter a race enter politics

7 : enroll in : begin attending enter kindergarten

enter

intransitive verb

en·ter

Legal Definition of enter

: 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 vehicle — Code of Alabama — see also break, breaking and entering

2 : record, register

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

enter into

: to make oneself a party to or in no State shall enter into any treaty, alliance or confederation — U.S. Constitution art. I