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 And their power play, which was just 4 of 18 in the series entering Friday’s game? Adam Beasley, Miami Herald, 17 May 2025 Running of The Maryland Sprint Stakes Booth, jockeyed by Erik Asmussen and trained by Steven Asmussen, won the fourth race of the day as the favorite entering it. Taylor Lyons, Baltimore Sun, 17 May 2025 Stewart opens her film with blood slowly entering the frame and mixing with the remnants of a shower swirling down a drain. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2025 The Orlando woman was walking north and entered the westbound lanes of Colonial. Elainie Barraza, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for enter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enter
Verb
  • Pros: Instant hydration and plump Cons: Pricey for the amount of product A dermatologist favorite, this product penetrates deep into the skin, increasing the skin’s hyaluronic acid levels, aiding in long-term hydration and plumping.
    Taryn Brooke, Glamour, 14 May 2025
  • However, when fully dry, potting mix becomes hydrophobic, meaning water will run off the surface of the media instead of penetrating deeper into the pot.
    Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • Elle has no relation to a third film in the franchise (following the 2003 sequel Red, White & Blonde), which has been in development since 2018, with Mindy Kaling joining as a screenwriter in 2020.
    Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 16 May 2025
  • Not much of a surprise since Bondi, before joining Team Trump, was a lobbyist in a firm charging Qatar $115,000 per month to represent that country’s interests in Washington.
    Chris Brennan, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • The longest humpback whale migration ever recorded was 8,106 miles, from South America to Africa, though more typical distances are around 5,000 miles.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 May 2025
  • In 2018 Amazon’s Alexa recorded a married couple’s conversation about hardwood floors and sent it to one of the husband’s employees.
    Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • What other big inmate escapes received national attention?
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 18 May 2025
  • The second-place horse will receive $400,000 with the third-place horse earning $220,000, the fourth-place making $120,000, and the fifth-place horse winning $60,000.
    Matt Richardson, CBS News, 17 May 2025
Verb
  • However, these groups have historically faced significant barriers, such as the need to visit bank branches or obtain documents in person to access such services.
    Christopher Marquis, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
  • For entrepreneurs, Chasm is now live and free to access online.
    Alexandra Pastore, Footwear News, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • Garth played one of the lead characters on ABC Family's one-season sitcom Mystery Girls alongside her Beverly Hills, 90210 costar Spelling before rejoining her longtime pal on the 2019 Fox reboot series.
    Benjamin VanHoose, People.com, 17 May 2025
  • With Edman expected to rejoin the team Sunday, the Dodgers will have to decide what to do with rookie Hyeseong Kim, who had his third straight multi-hit game and is hitting .452 in Edman’s absence.
    Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2025
Verb
  • Favorite Paint Picks Drew listed Farrow & Ball’s Dimity as his favorite neutral.
    Eleni N. Gage, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 May 2025
  • Here is the lineup of home and road opponents, listed alphabetically. Steelers’ 2025 opponents The Steelers went 10-7 in the 2024 regular season before being blown out by the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round of the playoffs, extending Pittsburgh’s winless postseason drought to eight years.
    Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Taking the main melody, the nine-time Grammy winner’s piercing voice soars over lush harmonies provided by the other singers, with Eilish adding her own tasteful riffs throughout.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 5 May 2025
  • If one chapter of your mortal span—your wartime experience, or a love affair—has pierced you more sharply than any other, why shouldn’t that chapter go up front?
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 5 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Enter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enter. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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