enclosure

1 of 2

noun

en·​clo·​sure in-ˈklō-zhər How to pronounce enclosure (audio)
en-
variants or less commonly inclosure
Synonyms of enclosurenext
1
: the act or action of enclosing : the quality or state of being enclosed
2
: something that encloses
3
: something enclosed
a letter with two enclosures

inclose, inclosure

2 of 2
in·​close in-ˈklōz How to pronounce inclose (audio)

less common variants of enclose, enclosure

transitive verb

1
a(1)
: to close in : surround
enclose a porch with glass
(2)
: to fence off (common land) for individual use
b
: to hold in : confine
2
: to include along with something else in a parcel or envelope
a check is enclosed herewith

Examples of enclosure in a Sentence

Noun During the day the horses are kept in an enclosure. a letter with two enclosures One of the enclosures was a photograph. the enclosure of a photograph with a letter the enclosure of the garden
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The platform uses a standardized battery enclosure capable of housing either lithium-ion or sodium-ion cells without changing the pack’s physical dimensions. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 June 2026 Punch's enclosure is getting an upgrade. Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 8 June 2026 Lally also has to clean their enclosures, and weigh and track all of the pandas’ feces in order to monitor their health. Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026 The ball was then introduced in a different part of the enclosure. Ari Daniel, NPR, 7 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for enclosure

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of enclosure was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Enclosure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enclosure. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

enclosure

noun
en·​clo·​sure
variants also inclosure
in-ˈklō-zhər
1
: the act of enclosing : the state of being enclosed
2
: an enclosed space
3
: something (as a fence) that encloses
4
: something enclosed
a letter with two enclosures

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