1
2
as in to join
to become a member of patriotic young men and women entering the armed services debutantes entering society

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to record
to put (someone or something) on a list new voters fill out a form and elections officials enter their names into the database

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
as in to receive
to offer entrance (as to a place, school, or privilege) to the club enters only five new members a year

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb enter differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of enter are penetrate, pierce, and probe. While all these words mean "to make way into something," enter is the most general of these and may imply either going in or forcing a way in.

entered the city in triumph

Where would penetrate be a reasonable alternative to enter?

While the synonyms penetrate and enter are close in meaning, penetrate carries a strong implication of an impelling force or compelling power that achieves entrance.

the enemy penetrated the fortress

When can pierce be used instead of enter?

Although the words pierce and enter have much in common, pierce means an entering or cutting through with a sharp pointed instrument.

pierced the boil with a lancet

When is it sensible to use probe instead of enter?

In some situations, the words probe and enter are roughly equivalent. However, probe implies penetration to investigate or explore something hidden from sight or knowledge.

probed the depths of the sea

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of enter Sign up for the Morning Report newsletter In today’s issue: Abrego Garcia entering diplomatic slipstream? Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2025 Tesla is planning to enter the India market, CFO Vaibhav Tanej said during its earnings call. Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2025 Most Popular Most Popular Maryland PF Julian Reese enters portal with no eligibility. Hannah Gaskill, Baltimore Sun, 23 Apr. 2025 Smith asked whether Netflix needs to enter a new line of business, like theme parks, to hit that target. Todd Spangler, Variety, 23 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for enter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enter
Verb
  • Light cannot penetrate some sinkholes further away from shore, like the Middle Island Sinkhole.
    Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025
  • But as the damage fades and the years march on, toppled trees and downed branches create gaps in the canopy that let light penetrate to the forest floor.
    Marina Wang, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Korir, who won last year’s Chicago Marathon, joins his older brother Wesley as a winner of the Boston Marathon, the first siblings to do so.
    Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • In Denmark, people are suddenly joining the Home Guard, a branch of the military.
    Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • On Wednesday, House member Berny Jacques attached language from the Cassel bill to an unrelated bill approved by the Senate clarifying that certain levels of radiation must be recorded before lawsuits could be brought against owners of former phosphate mines.
    Ron Hurtibise, Sun Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2025
  • In the fifth inning, India recorded his 500th career hit against Astros starter Hayden Wesneski.
    Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Of the 49 artists to receive two or more nominations, just three were groups or duos, a sign of how dominant solo personalities are in this era.
    Paul Grein, Billboard, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The new restrictions, which have raised the risk of global shortages, require exporters of medium and heavy rare earths in question to receive licenses from China’s Ministry of Commerce.
    Dylan Butts, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Incentives for safe operators: Policyholders are able to access discounts for safe driving, business experience, military service, and owner-operator status.
    Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Once the door opens, further attempts will be made to access the U.S. market.
    Adam Crafton, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Meloni also exited the show after 12 seasons, but rejoined the franchise in 2021 for its spinoff series, Law & Order: Organized Crime.
    Liza Esquibias, People.com, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Screenwriter Jack Thorne will also rejoin for the third installment and take cues from The Enola Holmes Mysteries by Nancy Springer.
    Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • This is why Sandy is not listed in the landfall maps!
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Ahead of the match, Washington listed eleven players as unavailable, including star forward Trinity Rodman, who stepped away from team activities to address her continuing back issues.
    Asli Pelit, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Early Sunday morning, firefighter Graham Hoffman, 29, was in the back of an ambulance transporting a patient to the hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, when he was stabbed in the chest, piercing his heart, according to a press release published on the city's website.
    Julia Gomez, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Hoffman was stabbed in the chest, piercing his heart, Kansas City Fire Chief Ross Grundyson said in a statement.
    Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Enter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enter. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

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