port of entry

noun phrase

1
: a place where foreign goods may be cleared through a customhouse
2
: a place (such as an airport or border crossing) where a person may be permitted to enter a country

Examples of port of entry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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More than 7 million people live and work in an area linked by nine ports of entry, including San Ysidro — the busiest land border crossing in the Western Hemisphere, with 69 million crossings last year alone. Adela De La Torre, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2025 After that, travelers hoping to cross remote lakes and rivers to fish, camp, hike, snowmobile or partake in other activities will be required to visit a port of entry or a new telephone reporting site. Tom Olsen, Twin Cities, 19 Dec. 2025 Typically, customs and immigration officers handle arrivals at official ports of entry, Border Patrol agents cover the border between those points, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) staff work in the rest of the country. David Culver, CNN Money, 18 Dec. 2025 The region’s invigorating multiculturalism also lures visitors with calypso music, island cuisine, and its history as a port of entry to the Caribbean. Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 18 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for port of entry

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Port of entry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/port%20of%20entry. Accessed 27 Dec. 2025.

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