enter

verb

ˈen-tər How to pronounce enter (audio)
Definition of enternext
1
as in to penetrate
to go or come in or into the hikers entered the cave with considerable caution

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 Enos Amanya Ngala, Mackenzie’s former head of security, entered a plea deal and became a witness for the prosecution after being accused, the BBC reported. — Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2026 In November 2005, church volunteer Scott Preston Moore entered sleeping quarters at night and inappropriately touched two teenage boys. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026 The moon’s gravity is too weak and the pull of Martian gravity too strong for the MMX spacecraft to enter a stable orbit around Phobos. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026 After years of building its business through wholesale, Samuel Guì Yang is entering standalone retail. — Yiling Pan, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for enter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enter
  1. penetrate
  2. join
  3. record
  4. receive
  5. access
  6. rejoin
  7. list
  8. pierce
Verb
  • This shampoo, for instance, contains salicylic acid to gently exfoliate and stimulate the scalp as well as strengthening molecules that penetrate deep into the cortex to minimize breakage.
    — Ellie Davis, Vogue, 22 Oct. 2026
  • While discussing the weapons, White allegedly gestured toward her torso and asked whether the guns could penetrate an agentâs body armor.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of penetrate
Verb
  • Anthropic’s own customer blog profiles Jared Sires, a startup account executive who joined the sales team in 2024 with no coding background.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Procter & Gamble, Lockheed Martin and CSX were among the latest companies to join the list of those topping profit expectations for the summer, and gains for their stocks helped limit the market's losses Thursday.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of join
Verb
  • Research partners recorded the various sounds that drones make when their propellers get chipped or cracked or their motor becomes damaged or begins to fail.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The practice involves writing down your intrusive thoughts and fears, and even recording yourself talking about them, and playing that recording back to yourself.
    — Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of record
Verb
  • Retirees born on or after the 21st of a month will receive this payment on Wednesday.
    — Adisa Hargett-Robinson, The Washington Examiner, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Some voting laws have changed in Ohio since 2022, including the state eliminating its grace period for receiving mail ballots, a change that forces voters to return those ballots earlier.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of receive
Verb
  • Yet a growing number of adults age 60 and older are embracing AI, using it for entertainment, planning trips and even accessing health information.
    — Robin Brewer, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Those features could help officers reach locations that conventional patrol vehicles cannot easily access.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of access
Verb
  • Upon moving back to Lake County in 1981, Andries briefly served as managing editor at North Shore magazine before rejoining Pioneer Press the following year.
    — Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Drivers using eastbound 37 will take northbound 121, make a right on the Carneros Highway (Highways 12 and 121), followed by a right on Highways 12/29, rejoining Highway 37 in Vallejo.
    — Tim Fang, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of rejoin
Verb
  • Cleveland Clinic lists a long slate of possible benefits ranging from lower blood pressure and improved oxygen levels to reduced snoring, better dry mouth and improved bad breath.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
  • In its November issue, Food & Wine magazine lists Francesco Martucci in Wynwood as one of the 27 Best Pizzas in America.
    — Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of list
Verb
  • The bullet pierced the rear passenger window of Irvine’s car, striking him in the right shoulder and causing his death.
    — Kelsie Cairns , Maria Paronich, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • No wonder some of the film’s most piercing moments are on the periphery.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of pierce

Phrases Containing enter

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ententes
enter
enterable
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Cite this Entry

“Enter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enter. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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