enterprising

adjective

en·​ter·​pris·​ing ˈen-tər-ˌprī-ziŋ 

ˈen-tə-ˌprī-

: marked by an independent energetic spirit and by readiness to act

an enterprising young reporter

Synonyms of enterprising

• aggressive
• ambitious
• adventurous
• fierce

Examples of enterprising in a Sentence

As an enterprising young reporter, she covered many important stories.

the company is claiming that there will be huge financial rewards for enterprising sales representatives

Recent Examples on the Web

From an honorary Founding Father to an enterprising immigrant, the meaning of Columbus to the Americas is diverse and ever-changing. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2026

Bridget also proves to be an enterprising young woman, negotiating a higher salary for herself within seconds of accepting the new job. — Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026

This feature helped enable what Nokia researchers called kiosks—informal pay-per-call services, in which an enterprising phone subscriber charged neighbors and family members by the minute for use of the device. — IEEE Spectrum, 13 July 2026

Their younger son’s back issues are indeed the least of the family’s problems, especially when a deal made with a more enterprising neighboring farmer winds up going bust. — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for enterprising

• advertising
• agonising
• amortizing
• analyzing
• anodizing
• appetizing
• atomizing
• authorising
• authorizing
• carbonizing
• carburizing
• catalyzing

Kids Definition

enterprising

adjective

en·​ter·​pris·​ing ˈent-ə(r)-ˌprī-ziŋ 

: bold, active, and energetic in undertaking or experimenting