enlist

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

Synonyms of enlist

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of enlist in a Sentence

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.
Ellison fils’s most high-profile hiring decision was to enlist Bari Weiss—the former Times Opinion editor and founder of the center-right publication The Free Press—as editor-in-chief of CBS News. — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026 Paramount has acquired film rights to Pierce Brown‘s New York Times bestselling sci-fi book series Red Rising, enlisting Francis Lawrence to direct an adaptation of the first installment, Deadline can confirm. — Justin Kroll, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026 Nicole Nguyen saved time by enlisting Dots for help canceling unwanted subscriptions. — Adam Clark Estes, Vox, 16 Oct. 2026 The hotel has enlisted Allison Doyle Partners (ADP) Architects for the job—the same firm that worked on the previous renovation of the interior architecture. — Timothy Latterner, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for enlist

Word History

First Known Use

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 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All