port of entry

noun phrase

1
: a place where foreign goods may be cleared through a customhouse
2
: a place where an alien may be permitted to enter a country

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web For the uninitiated, a freeport is a form of free economic zone (or foreign trade zone, as it's known in the US), an area—usually in or around a port of entry—in which goods can be stored without being subject to that country's customs duties. Leena Kim, Town & Country, 18 Apr. 2023 The first-term congressman joined Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) and Reps. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) and David Valadao (R-CA) on Wednesday for a tour of the border and the port of entry. Anna Giaritelli, Washington Examiner, 7 Apr. 2023 Mayorkas touted record seizures of fentanyl at ports of entry and efforts to do more. Joseph Morton, Dallas News, 29 Mar. 2023 Migrants often wait for weeks or months in Mexico to present their case at a port of entry. Karol Suarez, CNN, 30 Mar. 2023 The Biden administration also expanded access to a government app, CBP One, for migrants to fill out an application and secure an appointment at a port of entry. Eileen Sullivan, New York Times, 29 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'port of entry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1714, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of port of entry was in 1714

Dictionary Entries Near port of entry

Cite this Entry

“Port of entry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/port%20of%20entry. Accessed 30 May. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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