enlist

1 of 2

verb

en·​list in-ˈlist How to pronounce enlist (audio)
en-
enlisted; enlisting; enlists
Synonyms of enlistnext

transitive verb

1
a
: to secure the support and aid of : employ in advancing an interest
enlist all the available resources
enlisted our help
b
: to win over : attract
trying to enlist my sympathies
2
: to engage (a person) for duty in the armed forces

intransitive verb

1
: to enroll oneself in the armed forces
will enlist for three years
2
: to participate heartily (as in a cause, drive, or crusade)
enlistee
in-ˌli-ˈstē How to pronounce enlist (audio)
en-, 
-ˈli-stē
noun
enlistment
in-ˈlis(t)-mənt How to pronounce enlist (audio)
en-
noun

enlistment

2 of 2

noun

en·​list·​ment ə̇nˈlis(t)mənt How to pronounce enlistment (audio)
en-
plural -s
1
: the act of enlisting or state of being enlisted
2
: a period of service in a military or naval force for which an individual can volunteer
the 2-year enlistment was discontinued

Synonyms of enlist

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Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of enlist in a Sentence

Verb They're enlisting volunteers for an experiment. We enlisted all available resources. I enlisted the help of our neighbors. We enlisted the services of a professional. They enlisted several new recruits. After graduating, I enlisted in the navy. He enlisted in the cause of world peace.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
For the ceremony itself, the bride enlisted Harris Reed to create her wedding look. — Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 12 Oct. 2026 Related Stories Set in 1969 London, Boyle enlisted his go-to production designers, Gareth Pugh and Carson McColl, to bring his vision to life. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 OpenAI enlisted two of its employees and a contractor to put together a postmortem report detailing how the company's models escaped containment, accessed the open internet and breached open-source developer platform Hugging Face. — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2026 Over the summer, the Commanders’ coach, Dan Quinn, dreaming up ways to make his staff more impervious to pressure, enlisted the help of the intelligence establishment of the United States. — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for enlist

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1599, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of enlist was in 1599

Phrases Containing enlist

Rhymes for enlist

See All Rhymes for enlist

Browse Nearby Words

enlink
enlist
enlisted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Enlist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enlist. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

enlist

verb
en·​list in-ˈlist How to pronounce enlist (audio)
1
a
: to enroll for military or naval service
especially : to join one of the armed services voluntarily
b
: to participate heartily (as in a cause or drive)
2
: to obtain the help or support of
enlisted their friends in the campaign
enlistment
-ˈlis(t)-mənt How to pronounce enlist (audio)
noun
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