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
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
Manu has found a home, but in the human world her mother languishes in a detention facility and her father, the head of a criminal enterprise, is known among her friends as a rebel who has disappeared and is assumed dead.
—
Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
OpenAI, which was most recently valued at $500 billion and is now looking to boost that number, faces intense competition in the generative AI market, particularly from Google and Anthropic, whose AI models are being used by enterprises to take over more business tasks.
—Ashley Capoot,ari Levy, CNBC, 15 Feb. 2026
Jon Schuppe Jon Schuppe is an enterprise reporter for NBC News, based in New York.
—Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 14 Feb. 2026
Does your enterprise have the capacity to fulfill them?
—Russ Bredholt Jr, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for enterprise
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show current usage.
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Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
OpenAI, which was most recently valued at $500 billion and is now looking to boost that number, faces intense competition in the generative AI market, particularly from Google and Anthropic, whose AI models are being used by enterprises to take over more business tasks.
—Ashley Capoot,ari Levy, CNBC, 15 Feb. 2026
Jon Schuppe Jon Schuppe is an enterprise reporter for NBC News, based in New York.
—Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 14 Feb. 2026
Does your enterprise have the capacity to fulfill them?
—Russ Bredholt Jr, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for enterprise
Cite this Entry
“Enterprise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enterprise. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
noun
-ˌprī-zər
Legal Definition
enterprise
noun
en·ter·prise
ˈen-tər-ˌprīz
: an economic organization or activity
especially
: a business organization
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