enterprise

noun

en·ter·prise | \ ˈen-tər-ˌprīz

, ˈen-tə-ˌprīz\

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

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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 Gaines have multiple enterprises in Waco, the most famous of which, at least on Instagram, is Magnolia Market at the Silos. — Stefanie Waldek, House Beautiful, "What Every Chip and Joanna Gaines Fan Should Know Before Visiting Waco, Texas," 14 May 2019 But there is also much more to France than Mbappe's champagne skills and the enterprise of its other young players like Pavard. — John Leicester, chicagotribune.com, "Winds of football change blow at Russia World Cup," 7 July 2018 But Iglesias' Miami store-front operation was dwarfed by Suarez's check-cashing enterprise in Hialeah, authorities said. — Jay Weaver, miamiherald, "Feds expose shadowy, $500 million check-cashing chain in Hialeah and its real owner," 2 July 2018 Two centuries after Anning’s trowelblazing efforts, the enterprise of paleontology still presents numerous challenges to women wanting to follow in her footsteps. — Brian Switek, Smithsonian, "The Many Ways Women Get Left Out of Paleontology," 8 June 2018 Every corner of the globe was being brought into the collective enterprise of generating wealth. — Mark Sappenfield, The Christian Science Monitor, "Can the Arctic teach the world to cooperate?," 20 May 2018 His name does not appear on any known document of ownership of a single enterprise or piece of property anywhere in the world. — Win Mccormack, The New Republic, "Bhagwan’s Bottom Line I," 12 Apr. 2018 Get our daily newsletter The South-to-North Water Diversion Project—to give the structure its proper name—is the most expensive infrastructure enterprise in the world. — The Economist, "China has built the world’s largest water-diversion project," 5 Apr. 2018 An enterprise that has rolled out Windows 10 version 1709 to 10,000 seats may follow that by deploying version 1803 to another 10,000. — Peter Bright, Ars Technica, "Edge dies a death of a thousand cuts as Microsoft switches to Chromium," 6 Dec. 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.

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Dictionary Entries near enterprise

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Last Updated

22 May 2019

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Time Traveler for enterprise

The first known use of enterprise was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for enterprise

enterprise

noun

English Language Learners Definition of enterprise

: 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

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

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

3 : a business organization or activity