enterprise

noun

en·​ter·​prise ˈen-tər-ˌprīz 

ˈen-tə-ˌprīz

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

Synonyms of enterprise

• company
• firm
• house
• business
• interest

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 couple is charged with participating in a racketeering and money-laundering enterprise involving $150,000 to $300,000. — Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026

The jokes are still wildly scattershot and frequently, knowingly lame; the production is still cheap and cheerfully scrappy; the whole ragged enterprise is still reliant on the evident affection and chemistry between its players to hold it together. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026

Baseboard management controllers are miniature computers that are embedded into the motherboards of virtually every enterprise server. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 5 Aug. 2026

Now, a new era of politics and a shift in large enterprises’ approach to purchasing AI models may have given Mistral the perfect opportunity to prove its doubters wrong. — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing enterprise

• enterprise zone
• free enterprise
• private enterprise

Rhymes for enterprise

• advertise
• aggrandize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize
• butterflies

Kids Definition

enterprise

noun

en·​ter·​prise ˈent-ə(r)-ˌprīz 

1

: a difficult, complicated, or risky project or undertaking

2

: readiness to engage in daring or difficult action

showed great enterprise in the face of danger

3

: a business organization

enterpriser

-ˌprī-zər

noun

Legal Definition

enterprise

noun

en·​ter·​prise ˈen-tər-ˌprīz 

: an economic organization or activity

especially : a business organization