enterprise

noun

en·ter·prise | \ ˈen-tər-ˌprīz

, ˈen-tə-ˌprīz \

Essential Meaning of enterprise

1 : a project or activity that involves many people and that is often difficult Moving the drilling rig offshore was a costly enterprise. a criminal enterprise Agriculture is the main economic enterprise among these people.

2 : a business organization When he purchased the company it was a thriving commercial enterprise. The new regulations are intended to encourage the growth of small, independent enterprises. [=companies]

3 : the ability or desire to do dangerous or difficult things or to solve problems in new ways She showed great enterprise [=initiative] as a young reporter. He was criticized for his lack of enterprise in dealing with the crisis.

Full Definition of enterprise

1 : a project or undertaking that is especially difficult, complicated, or risky

2a : a unit of economic organization or activity especially : a business organization

b : a systematic purposeful activity agriculture is the main economic enterprise among these people

3 : readiness to engage in daring or difficult action : initiative showed great enterprise in dealing with the crisis

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About enterprise

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Examples of enterprise in a Sentence

Moving the drilling rig offshore was a costly enterprise. Agriculture is the main economic enterprise among these people. When he purchased the company it was a thriving commercial enterprise. He was criticized for his lack of enterprise in dealing with the crisis.

Recent Examples on the Web The fact is that most enterprises have an enterprise-wide data strategy that has yet to define single sources of truth, as well as the core meaning of the data. — David Linthicum, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2021 Stephanie Antionette Brown, 35, of the 1100 block of North Lockwood Avenue, Chicago, was arrested on charges of continuing financial crimes enterprise, and identity theft at 11:22 a.m. Sept. 26 at Fairway Drive and North Aurora Road. — Steve Metsch, chicagotribune.com, 30 Sep. 2021 The government argued that Kelly was the head of an enterprise — consisting of security guards, runners, drivers, assistants, entourage members, accountants, and more — that helped him abuse victims. — Elias Leight, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2021 Does an enterprise that purports to be part of the fabric of America—and one that for the past hundred years has enjoyed a unique federal antitrust exemption—have a responsibility to prevent that fabric from fraying? — Will Bardenwerper, Harper's Magazine, 28 Sep. 2021 Stanford Health Care is part of a large medical enterprise, called Stanford Medicine, that includes two Stanford Health Care hospitals, Stanford Children’s Health, two outpatient clinical networks and the Stanford University School of Medicine. — John Mccormick, WSJ, 16 Sep. 2021 Guevara faces a charge of continuing criminal enterprise, which is designed to target the leaders in trafficking operations, Wilson said. — Tess Williams, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Sep. 2021 This method could meet half the city’s total heating demand, estimates social enterprise Greenspace Scotland, which is running a project to explore how urban green spaces and water can provide low-carbon energy. — Sonia Elks, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Sep. 2021 Read more about the mother-daughter enterprise, which recently moved into the former Women’s Industrial Exchange building, here. — Christina Tkacik, baltimoresun.com, 15 Sep. 2021

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

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Dictionary Entries Near enterprise

enter politics

enterprise

enterpriseless

Statistics for enterprise

Last Updated

7 Oct 2021

Cite this Entry

“Enterprise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enterprise. Accessed 17 Oct. 2021.

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More Definitions for enterprise

enterprise

noun

en·ter·prise | \ ˈen-tər-ˌprīz

Kids Definition of enterprise

1 : a project or undertaking that is difficult, complicated, or risky

2 : willingness to engage in daring or difficult action Look at the opportunities here for a man of knowledge, brains, pluck, and enterprise …— Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

3 : a business organization or activity

enterprise

noun

en·ter·prise | \ ˈen-tər-ˌprīz