enter
EHN-tuh
Enter (verb) means to go into a place. Example: “Visitors must remove their shoes before they enter the temple.”
verb
1
To go into a place.
"Visitors must remove their shoes before they enter the temple."
"Please knock before you enter the room."
"The car entered the tunnel and disappeared from view."
2
To begin taking part in something, such as a career, agreement, or competition.
"My sister plans to enter the teaching profession after she finishes university."
"She entered the marathon for the first time this year."
"The two countries entered into a trade agreement."
3
To type or record information, as into a computer or a ledger.
"Enter each customer's name and address into the database carefully."
"He forgot to enter the last payment in the accounts book."
"Enter your password to continue."
How to use enter
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo go into a place, or to start taking part in something (a contest, a deal, a career).
Common pairings
enter a competition
enter the room
enter data
enter into an agreement
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like enter.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Third person singular
- enters, entres
- Past tense
- entered, entred
- Archaic forms
- enterest, entrest, enteredst, entredst
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Visitors must remove their shoes before they _____ the temple.
Etymology
From Old French entrer, from Latin intrare ("to go in"). British English keeps the French-style "-re" ending in related words like "centre" and "theatre," while American English uses "enter"-style "-er" spellings for those.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for enter
See all rhymes for enter →Frequently asked questions
What does “enter” mean?
The word “enter” means to go into a place. In plain terms, to go into a place, or to start taking part in something (a contest, a deal, a career).
How do you pronounce “enter”?
“Enter” is pronounced EHN-tuh (/ˈɛntɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “enter” in a sentence?
Here is “enter” used in a sentence: “Please knock before you enter the room.”
What is another word for “enter”?
Words with a similar meaning to “enter” include go in, ingo and come in.
What is the opposite of “enter”?
The opposite of “enter” — its antonyms — is exit.
What part of speech is “enter”?
“Enter” is a verb.
Where does the word “enter” come from?
The word “enter” comes from Latin.
Is “enter” a common word?
“Enter” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between "enter" and "exit"?
Enter means to go into a place; exit means to go out of it. They are opposites describing movement across a boundary, so you enter a room and later exit it. In computing, "enter" can also mean to type in data, while "exit" means to close or leave a program.
What are the other meanings of "enter"?
Besides going into a place, "enter" can mean to type or record information ("enter your password"), to join or take part in something ("enter a contest"), or to begin a new period or state ("enter a new phase"). Context makes clear which sense is meant.
What is the opposite of "enter"?
The main opposites are "exit," "leave," and "depart," all meaning to go out of or away from a place. In the data sense, where entering means typing information in, the rough opposite would be to delete or remove what was recorded.
What is an example of "enter" in a sentence?
"Please enter through the main door" describes going into a place. "Enter your name in the box" means to type in information. Both are everyday uses of the verb, one describing physical movement and the other recording data.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include enter:
