enterprise

noun en·ter·prise \ ˈen-tər-ˌprīz , ˈen-tə-ˌprīz \

|Updated on: 14 Aug 2018

Examples: enterprise in a Sentence

Definition of enterprise

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

2 a : 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

See enterprise defined for English-language learners

See enterprise defined for kids

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 of enterprise from the Web

Lantern had been a minority backer of that prior deal, which promised to remake the company as a female-friendly show business enterprise and establish a settlement fund to compensate women who say Weinstein abused them.

— ryan faughnder, latimes.com, "Bankruptcy judge approves $21-million price cut in Weinstein Co. sale, expected to close Friday," 11 July 2018
For most adult enterprises, a bigger draw was the money.

— david m. ewalt, WSJ, "The First Real Boom in Virtual Reality? It’s Pornography.," 11 July 2018
Cyclists 4 Community began as a fundraising enterprise to help the victims of the 2013 floods that devastated the towns of Jamestown and Lyons, popular destinations with area cyclists.

— marc peruzzi, Outside Online, "The Troubling Rise of the Ghost Bike," 9 July 2018
The Fisher Theatre, a for-profit enterprise, has since stopped using Windsor volunteers, theater manager Jim Manduzzi said this month.

— Detroit Free Press, "Donald Trump trade war threatens strong Detroit-Windsor ties," 22 June 2018
Other massive campaigns done with the same platform raised more funds but through multiple fundraisers instead of from a single enterprise like in the RAICES case.

— Houston Chronicle, "Facebook campaign to reuuite immigrant kids in Texas with parents raises over $10 million on Facebook," 20 June 2018
Beyonce’s little sister has a knack for enterprise through her Saint Heron collective.

— ben meyerson, RedEye Chicago, "Lin-Manuel's movie, Starbucks prices go up and more conversation starters for your weekend," 15 June 2018
The idea for NovoMoto, a for-profit social enterprise, was born out of an entrepreneurship class Olson and Arjmand took together at UW-Madison in fall 2014.

— elena weissmann, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Madison-based clean energy startup takes first prize in Gov Biz Plan Contest," 8 June 2018
Trang Tran is the creator of QTViet Cafe, a social enterprise that connects youth and elderly Vietnamese-Americans through cooking classes and storytelling.

— NBC News, "#Pride30: Social entrepreneur Trang Tran is connecting youth, elders in the Bay Area," 31 May 2018

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.

Origin and Etymology of enterprise

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from entreprendre to undertake, from entre- inter- + prendre to take — more at prize

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

enterprise Synonyms

Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

ENTERPRISE Defined for English Language Learners

enterprise

noun

Definition of enterprise for English Language Learners

: a project or activity that involves many people and that is often difficult
: a business organization
: the ability or desire to do dangerous or difficult things or to solve problems in new ways