Meanings
enter1
present singular third person enters · participle present entering · participle past entered · past entered · first person past singular entered · archaic first person past singular entred · archaic present second person singular enterest · archaic present second person singular entrest · past second person singular entered · archaic past second person singular enteredst · archaic past second person singular entredst · present singular third person enters · archaic present singular third person entres · past singular third person entered · archaic past singular third person entred · past plural entered
- intransitiveTo go or come into an enclosed or partially enclosed space.
You should knock before you enter, unless you want to see me naked.
4 more examples
[…]you can fynde in youre heartes to assaulte her with rebellion, or in any wise [ways] suffer any one eyvil motion to enter into your thoughtes against her?
1555, John Proctor, The historie of Wyates rebellion, with the order and maner of resisting the same, …, page 86Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 3:5In former days every tavern of repute kept such a room for its own select circle, a club, or society, of habitués, who met every evening, for a pipe and a cheerful glass.[…]Strangers might enter the room, but they were made to feel that they were there on sufferance: they were received with distance and suspicion.
1892, Walter Besant, chapter III, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLCWe determined that the car driver’s transportation of multiple teen passengers, limited driving experience, and likely impairment from effects of cannabis at the time of the crash adversely affected her judgment of the danger of entering the intersection in front of the approaching combination vehicle.
2024, NTSB, Intersection Crash Between Passenger Car and Combination Vehicle, Tishomingo, Oklahoma, March 22, 2022 - transitiveTo cause to go (into), or to be received (into); to put in; to insert; to cause to be admitted.
to enter a knife into a piece of wood
1 more example
to enter a boy at college, a horse for a race, etc.
- figurativelyTo go or come into (a state or profession).
She had planned to enter the legal profession.
2 more examples
My twelve-year-old son will be entering his teens next year.
Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. … But the scandals kept coming, and so we entered stage three – what therapists call "bargaining".
2013 June 28, Joris Luyendijk, “Our banks are out of control”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 3, page 21 - To come on to the stage during a performance.
- figurativelyintransitiveUsed in the manner of a stage direction: to enter the picture, to become relevant.
I’m usually a shoulder bag kind of girl, just because it fits my vibe more. But when I’m on my feet for hours—running through crowded airports or touring a new city—the last thing I want to think about is my stuff. Enter: A good crossbody.
2026 April 8, Megan Uy, “12 Best Crossbody Bags for Travel That’ll Hold All Your Stuff Without Messing Up Your Vacay Outfit”, in Cosmopolitan
- intransitivelawTo become a party to an agreement, treaty, etc.
I am pleased to notify the Congress of my intent to enter into a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Government of Singapore.
2003 February 4, The President of the United States, “NOTIFICATION TO ENTER INTO A FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF SINGAPORE”, in U.S. Government Printing Office, retrieved 09 Sep 2013 - intransitivelawTo become effective; to come into effect.
This Act shall enter into force on 01 March 1998.
2005, United Nations, Dispositions Législatives Et Réglementaires Nationales Relatives À la Prévention Et À L'élimination Du Terrorisme International, →ISBN, page 215 - lawTo go into or upon, as lands, and take actual possession of them.
- transitivelawTo place in regular form before the court, usually in writing; to put upon record in proper from and order.
to enter a writ, appearance, rule, or judgment
- To make report of (a vessel or its cargo) at the custom house; to submit a statement of (imported goods), with the original invoices, to the proper customs officer for estimating the duties. See entry.
- USdatedhistoricaltransitiveTo file, or register with the land office, the required particulars concerning (a quantity of public land) in order to entitle a person to a right of preemption.
Under existing laws governing the qualifications of an alien to enter 160 acres or more of the public domain he is only required to file his declaration of intent to become a citizen.
1887, United States General Land Office, Annual Report of the Commissioner of General Land Office, US Government Printing Office, page 82 - To deposit for copyright the title or description of (a book, picture, map, etc.).
entered according to act of Congress
- obsoletetransitiveTo initiate; to introduce favourably.
This sword but shown to Caesar, with this tidings, / Shall enter me with him.
c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals) - formalintransitiveTo begin (a regular activity or job); to undertake; to take up.
[…] I entered, that same day, on a regular occupation of pushing Miss Havisham in this chair […] round her own room, and across the landing, and round the other room.
1860 December – 1861 August, Charles Dickens, chapter XII, in Great Expectations […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published October 1861, →OCLC, page 199
Enter2
Synonyms & antonyms
verbto come or go into
verbbecome a participant; be involved in
verbregister formally as a participant or member
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinintrō“enter”
- Old Frenchentrer
- Middle Englishentren
- Englishenter
From Middle English entren, from Old French entrer, from Latin intrō (“enter”, verb), from intrā (“inside”). Has been spelled as "enter" for several centuries even in the United Kingdom, although British English and the English of many Commonwealth Countries (e.g. Australia, Canada) retain the "re" ending for many words such as centre, fibre, spectre, theatre, calibre, sombre, lustre, and litre.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans ingaan
- ingaanto go into (a room, etc.)
Ancient Greek εἰσέρχομαι, εἰσβαίνω
- εἰσέρχομαι (eisérkhomai)to go into (a room, etc.)
- εἰσβαίνω (eisbaínō)to go into (a room, etc.)
Arabic أَدْخَلَ, أَدْخَلَ
- أَدْخَلَ (ʔadḵala)to insert
- أَدْخَلَ (ʔadḵala)to type into a computer
- دَخَلَ (daḵala)to go into (a room, etc.)
Basque sartu
- sartuto go into (a room, etc.)
Bengali ঢোকানো, ঢোকা
- ঢোকানো (ḍhōkanō)to insert
- ঢোকা (ḍhōka)to go into (a room, etc.)
- সামানো (śamanō)to go into (a room, etc.)
- প্রবেশ করা (probeś kora)to go into (a room, etc.)
Bulgarian въвеждам, въведа́
- въвеждам (văveždam)to type into a computer
- въведа́ (văvedá)to type into a computer
- вли́зам (vlízam)to go into (a room, etc.)
- вля́за (vljáza)to go into (a room, etc.)
Catalan entrar
- entrarto go into (a room, etc.)
Chinese Cantonese 入嚟
- 入嚟 (jap⁶ lei⁴; jap⁶ lai⁴)to go into (a room, etc.)
Chinese Mandarin 輸入 /输入, 進入 /进入
- 輸入 /输入 (shūrù)to type into a computer
- 進入 /进入 (jìnrù)to go into (a room, etc.)
- 進 /进 (jìn)to go into (a room, etc.)
- 回車鍵 /回车键 (huíchējiàn)key
Czech zadat, vstupovat
- zadatto type into a computer
- vstupovatto go into (a room, etc.)
- vstoupitto go into (a room, etc.)
Danish indtaste, taste
- indtasteto type into a computer
- tasteto type into a computer
- gå indto go into (a room, etc.)
- gå ind ito go into (a room, etc.)
- indgå ito go into (a room, etc.)
Dutch invoeren, binnengaan
- invoerento type into a computer
- binnengaanto go into (a room, etc.)
Esperanto entajpi, eniri
- entajpito type into a computer
- enirito go into (a room, etc.)
- eniga klavokey
Estonian sisestama, sisse kandma
- sisestamato insert
- sisse kandmato insert
- sisse panemato insert
- sisestamato type into a computer
- trükimato type into a computer
- tippimato type into a computer
- sisenemato go into (a room, etc.)
- sisse astumato go into (a room, etc.)
- sisestusklahvkey
- enterkey
- sisestamastroke of said key
- enteri vajutusstroke of said key
Finnish syöttää, panna
- syöttääto insert
- pannato insert
- laittaato insert
- iskeäto insert
- syöttääto type into a computer
- kirjoittaato type into a computer
- kirjatato record
- astuato go into (a room, etc.)
- tullato go into (a room, etc.)
- astua sisäänto go into (a room, etc.)
- syöttönäppäinkey
- palautusnäppäinkey
- enter-näppäinkey
- enterkey
- enterin painallusstroke of said key
French taper, saisir
- taperto type into a computer
- saisirto type into a computer
- entrerto go into (a room, etc.)
German eingeben, eingeben
- eingebento type into a computer
- eingebento record
- reingehento go into (a room, etc.)
- hineingehento go into (a room, etc.)
- hereingehento go into (a room, etc.)
- eintretento go into (a room, etc.)
- betretento go into (a room, etc.)
- reinkommento go into (a room, etc.)
- hereinkommento go into (a room, etc.)
- Eingabetastekey
Greek εγγράφω, μπαίνω
- εγγράφω (engráfo)to type into a computer
- μπαίνω (baíno)to go into (a room, etc.)
Hawaiian komo
- komoto go into (a room, etc.)
Hebrew נִכְנַס
- נִכְנַס (nikhnás)to go into (a room, etc.)
Hindi डालना, घुसाना
- डालना (ḍālnā)to insert
- घुसाना (ghusānā)to insert
- अंकन (aṅkan)to record
- प्रवेश करना (praveś karnā)to go into (a room, etc.)
- भीतर जाना (bhītar jānā)to go into (a room, etc.)
Hungarian bevisz, behelyez
- beviszto insert
- behelyezto insert
- beillesztto insert
- beemelto insert
- benevezto insert
- beírto type into a computer
- begépelto type into a computer
- megadto type into a computer
- bejegyezto record
- feljegyezto record
- felírto record
- bemegyto go into (a room, etc.)
Icelandic ganga inn, koma inn
- ganga innto go into (a room, etc.)
- koma innto go into (a room, etc.)
Indonesian memasukkan, masuk
- memasukkanto insert
- masukto go into (a room, etc.)
Irish iontráil, iontráil
- iontráilto type into a computer
- iontráilto record
Italian immettere, digitare
- immettereto type into a computer
- digitareto type into a computer
- entrareto go into (a room, etc.)
Japanese 入力する, 入る
- 入力する (nyūryoku suru)to type into a computer
- 入る (hairu)to go into (a room, etc.)
Korean 들어가다, 들어오다
- 들어가다 (deureogada)to go into (a room, etc.)
- 들어오다 (deureooda)to go into (a room, etc.)
- 들다 (deulda)to go into (a room, etc.)
Latin ineō, intrō
- ineōto go into (a room, etc.)
- intrōto go into (a room, etc.)
- ingrediorto go into (a room, etc.)
- introeoto go into (a room, etc.)
- invadoto go into (a room, etc.)
- imbitōto go into (a room, etc.)
Latvian ienākt, ieiet
- ienāktto go into (a room, etc.)
- ieietto go into (a room, etc.)
Lithuanian įeiti
- įeitito go into (a room, etc.)
Malay masukkan, masuk
- masukkanto type into a computer
- masukto go into (a room, etc.)
Māori whakauru, kuhu
- whakauruto insert
- kuhuto insert
- tāuruto type into a computer
- uruto go into (a room, etc.)
- tomoto go into (a room, etc.)
Norwegian komme inn
- komme innto go into (a room, etc.)
Persian وارد کردن, درآمدن
- وارد کردن (vâred kardan)to type into a computer
- درآمدن (dar-âmadan)to go into (a room, etc.)
- وارد شدن (vâred šodan)to go into (a room, etc.)
Polish wchodzić, wejść
- wchodzićto go into (a room, etc.)
- wejśćto go into (a room, etc.)
Portuguese introduzir, inserir
- introduzirto type into a computer
- inserirto type into a computer
- entrarto go into (a room, etc.)
Romanian introduce, a intra
- introduceto type into a computer
- a intrato go into (a room, etc.)
- tasta Enter f.key
Russian вводи́ть, ввести́
- вводи́ть (vvodítʹ)to type into a computer
- ввести́ (vvestí)to type into a computer
- впи́сывать (vpísyvatʹ)to record
- вписа́ть (vpisátʹ)to record
- входи́ть (vxodítʹ)to go into (a room, etc.)
- войти́ (vojtí)to go into (a room, etc.)
- заходи́ть (zaxodítʹ)to go into (a room, etc.)
- зайти́ (zajtí)to go into (a room, etc.)
- въезжа́ть (vʺjezžátʹ)to go into (a room, etc.)
- въе́хать (vʺjéxatʹ)to go into (a room, etc.)
- ввод (vvod)key
Scottish Gaelic cuir a-steach, cuir a-steach
- cuir a-steachto insert
- cuir a-steachto type into a computer
- rach a-steachto go into (a room, etc.)
- thig a-steachto go into (a room, etc.)
- inntrigto go into (a room, etc.)
- gabh a-steachto go into (a room, etc.)
Slovak vstúpiť, vkročiť
- vstúpiťto go into (a room, etc.)
- vkročiťto go into (a room, etc.)
- vojsťto go into (a room, etc.)
Spanish entrar, ingresar
- entrarto insert
- ingresarto insert
- adentrarto insert
- ingresarto type into a computer
- contabilizarto record
- entrarto go into (a room, etc.)
- ingresarto go into (a room, etc.)
- adentrarseto go into (a room, etc.)
- introkey
Swahili kuingia
- kuingiato go into (a room, etc.)
Swedish mata in, inträda
- mata into type into a computer
- inträdato go into (a room, etc.)
Tagalog pumasok
- pumasokto go into (a room, etc.)
Tamil நுழை, செருகு
- நுழை (nuḻai)to insert
- செருகு (ceruku)to insert
- புகுத்து (pukuttu)to insert
- தட்டச்சு (taṭṭaccu)to type into a computer
- தட்டச்சு செய் (taṭṭaccu cey)to type into a computer
- உள்ளிடு (uḷḷiṭu)to record
- நுழை (nuḻai)to go into (a room, etc.)
- புகு (puku)to go into (a room, etc.)
Thai ป้อน, พิมพ์
- ป้อน (bpɔ̂ɔn)to type into a computer
- พิมพ์ (pim)to type into a computer
- เข้า (kâo)to go into (a room, etc.)
- เข้ามา (kâo-maa)to go into (a room, etc.)
Turkish girmek, işlemek
- girmekto type into a computer
- işlemekto type into a computer
- girmekto go into (a room, etc.)
- enterkey
Ukrainian входи́ти, уходи́ти
- входи́ти (vxodýty)to go into (a room, etc.)
- уходи́ти (uxodýty)to go into (a room, etc.)
- ввійти́ (vvijtý)to go into (a room, etc.)
- увійти́ (uvijtý)to go into (a room, etc.)
Urdu درج کرنا, داخل کرنا
- درج کرنا (darj karnā)to type into a computer
- داخل کرنا (dāxil karnā)to go into (a room, etc.)
Vietnamese đi vào, vô
- đi vàoto go into (a room, etc.)
- vôto go into (a room, etc.)
- vàoto go into (a room, etc.)
Welsh cofnodi
- cofnodito go into (a room, etc.)
Yiddish אַרײַנגיין
- אַרײַנגיין (arayngeyn)to go into (a room, etc.)
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with enter
Sounds the same
Anagrams
Cite this entry
enter. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/enter
“enter.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/enter. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “enter,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/enter.
Source: enter on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.