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 To keep adult carpet beetles from entering your home altogether, consider keeping doors and windows closed, or investing in screen covers. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 22 June 2025 The team entered the finals on a 26-game winning streak, and outscored its opponents 64-25 in its first eight tournament games. Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 21 June 2025 Lembas is a new peptide ingredient company that enters the market today with intentions of partnering with CPG brands to create food products that target the GLP-1 hormone. Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025 The Angels then lost five consecutive games and entered Monday having lost nine of their last 14. Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for enter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enter
Verb
  • The 12-Day War saw Israeli fighters penetrate deep inside Iranian airspace with little to no resistance, including non-stealthy fourth-generation fighters like F-16s.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • According to its manufacturer, Boeing, the Harpoon Block II missile is armed with a 500-pound penetrating high-explosive warhead and is capable of striking ships more than 77 miles away.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Nikki Glaser, Tyra Banks, Jenna Lyons, Michael Kors, Zac Posen also join the mix this year as well as Abbott Elementary stars Chris Perfetti and Lisa Ann Walter who will be making an appearance to kick off one of the challenges.
    Angel Saunders, People.com, 1 July 2025
  • Prevost joined an institution founded on those principles.
    Belinda Luscombe, Time, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025
  • The southpaw has appeared in 35 games this season and recorded 14 saves for the Red Sox.
    Drew VonScio, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • The law requires hospitals to include fentanyl testing as part of urine drug screens for people receiving emergency services.
    Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 22 June 2025
  • Unión del Barrio, which has more than three hundred thousand followers on Facebook and ninety thousand on Instagram, maintains a tip line and receives hundreds of messages and calls every day.
    Emily Witt, New Yorker, 22 June 2025
Verb
  • Aflac, which provides home and life insurance for more than 50 million policyholders, disclosed last week that cybercriminals were able to breach the company’s U.S. network and may have accessed customers’ personal data including Social Security numbers.
    John Kell, Fortune, 25 June 2025
  • Catalog how remote, hybrid and on-site users access SaaS, cloud and on-premises apps.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Bottas rejoined Mercedes after ending his F1 journey with the Sauber team at the end of last year.
    Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
  • The Duchess of Sussex rejoined Instagram in January, logging back online for the first time in five years.
    Charna Flam, People.com, 19 June 2025
Verb
  • Silky sharks are listed under CITES Appendix II and are considered globally vulnerable.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • The building is listed at $2.49 million, a drop from its original price of $2.9 million.
    David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • She was found on the ground near the lifeguard stand with an umbrella stake that had pierced the front of her left shoulder and was sticking out the back of her arm by about 1 foot, Asbury Park Fire Chief Kevin Keddy told ABC News.
    Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 25 June 2025
  • The scepter pierced the ground of the Huanacaure mountain, and so rose the glimmering empire of Cuzco.
    Ana Karina Zatarain, New Yorker, 21 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Enter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enter. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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