enroll

American  

[en-rohl] / ɛnˈroʊl /

especially British, enrol

verb (used with object)

enrolled, enrolling

1. to write the name of (a person) in a roll or register; place upon a list; register.

   It took two days to enroll the new students.

2. to enlist (oneself ).

3. to put in a record; record.

   to enroll the minutes of a meeting; to enroll the great events of history.

4. to roll or wrap up.

   fruit enrolled in tissue paper.

5. Nautical. to document (a U.S. vessel) by issuing a certificate of enrollment.

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verb (used without object)

enrolled, enrolling

1. to enroll oneself.

   He enrolled in college last week.

Other Word Forms

• enroller
  noun
• preenroll
  verb
• reenroll
  verb

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Etymology

Origin of enroll

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English enrollen, from Old French enroller. See en- ¹, roll

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Explanation

If you like clowning around but you're not quite ready for the circus, you could enroll in clown college to perfect your skills. When you enroll, that means you formally add your name to the list — or roll — of students. You can enroll in things other than schools or classes, and you can also enroll someone else. You might enroll your Chihuahua in a research project investigating whether dogs like to wear hats, or you could enroll your rude nephew in charm school. The "roll" of enroll goes back to the rolls of parchment that were used in medieval times for writing official documents.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

enroll enrolled enrolling

To enroll in these programs, you must have an address in the area the plan serves.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

Although taking part meant traveling to London for treatment, he chose to enroll and was referred to UCLH.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026

Average prescription drug premiums for Medicare Advantage plans—which enroll about half of beneficiaries—are expected to fall by 38% to $7 a month.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

And yet we could enroll students in two states right now, if we wanted to.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

Neel would either join Ajay or travel all the way to Kolkata to enroll in St. James SecondaryBoarding School—if he won the scholarship, that is.

From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins

Of the 1,091 people enrolled in the cohort, 866 completed additional cognitive testing after age 70.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026

ETS, a nonprofit assessment organization, helps manage and provide testing-related services for students enrolled in California public schools, including the required Smarter Balanced tests administered in spring.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

Police said John had once been a special needs student at the elementary school, though at the time of the shooting he was not enrolled in any school within the Bend district's system.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

After Lisa Moore’s cancer treatments stopped working, the 64-year-old enrolled in a study to try out a new type of drug, one that is programmed to go after disease in cells in a novel way.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

After being sent to live with extended family, enrolled in a public school in Guerneville, California.

From "We Were Here" by Matt De La Peña

Ionis Pharmaceuticals conducted the international study across 13 clinical sites, enrolling 54 patients to evaluate the treatment's safety and effectiveness.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

For administrations, this creates a thorny situation in which fraternity chapters remain associated with the universities—or at least, in physical proximity with them, and enrolling their students—even if they are not sanctioned by them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

For the record, we are not enrolling students and have no intention of operating our new schools.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

So the Prides chose that one, moving to Silver Spring, Md., and enrolling their son in top educational programs for deaf children.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

Mary followed the family tradition of enrolling in Hampton Institute, which had graduated her father, Frank Winston, her mother, Ella Scott Winston, and several of her ten older siblings.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

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Related Words

• accept
• admit
• employ
• engage
• enlist
• enter
• join
• obtain
• recruit
• register

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