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 customer list reads like a who’s who of global enterprise, with Novo Nordisk, the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund — the world’s largest — plus Bridgewater, Stripe, and Slack, all running Claude at scale. —Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2026

Jon Schuppe Jon Schuppe is an enterprise reporter for NBC News, based in New York. —Frank Matt, NBC news, 9 Jan. 2026

Rebuilding an economy over rebuilding centrifuges or sustaining criminal enterprises. —Jason D. Greenblatt, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026

Autonomous action is emerging as the next stage of enterprise transformation, moving organizations beyond insights toward systems that understand, decide, execute, and continuously learn. —Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 8 Jan. 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
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize

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