Synonyms

enlistment

American

[en-list-muhnt] / ɛnˈlɪst mənt /

noun

the period of time for which one is committed to military service.
an act of enlisting.

Other Word Forms

preenlistment noun

Etymology

Origin of enlistment

First recorded in 1740–50; enlist + -ment

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Some ran towards the borders; others, to the enlistment offices.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

And yet, it also showed that I had accepted a final job offer and that my onboarding status was “EOD”—Entered On Duty, the start of an enlistment period.

From Slate • Jan. 13, 2026

Among the American troops, there were mutinies and desertions and soldiers simply going home when their enlistment was up.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 14, 2025

In 2022, it had more than twice the per capita military enlistment rate of the highest U.S. state, according to the Government Accountability Office.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

This was not shaken even by the enlistment of Leper Lepellier.

From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023