envelop
Americanverb (used with object)
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envelops,
present (3rd person singular)
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enveloped,
past participle, past
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enveloping
present participle
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to wrap up in or as in a covering.
The long cloak she was wearing enveloped her completely.
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to serve as a wrapping or covering for, as a membrane of an organ or a sheath.
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to surround entirely.
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Military. to attack (an enemy's flank).
noun
verb
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to wrap or enclose in or as if in a covering
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to conceal or obscure, as from sight or understanding
a plan enveloped in mystery
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to surround or partially surround (an enemy force)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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envelopsimple
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envelopssimple
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have envelopedperfect
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has envelopedperfect
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am envelopingprogressive
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are envelopingprogressive
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is envelopingprogressive
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have been envelopingperfect progressive
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has been envelopingperfect progressive
Past
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envelopedsimple
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had envelopedperfect
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was envelopingprogressive
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were envelopingprogressive
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had been envelopingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of envelop
1350–1400; Middle English envolupen < Old French envoluper, equivalent to en- en- 1 + voloper to envelop, of obscure origin; compare Old Provençal ( en ) volopar, Italian inviluppare to envelop, Italian viluppo tuft, bundle, confusion, referred to Medieval Latin faluppa chaff, wisp of straw, perhaps influenced by the descendants of Latin volvere to roll
Explanation
When something envelops you, it wraps around you. The Snuggie Blanket is so popular because it envelops your body, leaving only your head uncovered. Sure, it looks dorky, but it keeps you extra warm. You probably noticed that envelop looks just like the noun envelope, minus that last letter "e", and that's an easy way to help you remember its meaning, too. Picture what an envelope does — it seals a letter completely inside, or envelops it. Envelop can also be used in a symbolic way, to describe something that consumes or occupies your mind. If the pretty girl you just met starts to envelop your thoughts, your work will suffer because you can't concentrate. Envelop comes from the late 14c. word envolupen, meaning "be involved in."
Vocabulary lists containing envelop
"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
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Comfy Cozy Lingo
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Unit 1: Telling Details
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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.
See Examples For:
A framed screen displaying the original 2001 work from director Chris Columbus is untouched, but surrounding it are newly added digital animations designed to envelop guests.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026
But before the U.S. launched its airstrikes, the Gulf governments had been resisting the prospect of a U.S. attack, fearing that it could provoke a regional conflict that would envelop them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 6, 2026
This “deep-dive arctic wave” of weather is expected to envelop basically 50% of the U.S. — as many as 30 states, so it’s a big storm that’s not leaving soon, said Yawger.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 22, 2026
Months after ICE’s widely publicized raids, fear continues to envelop Santa Ana, a majority-Hispanic city with a large immigrant population.
From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2025
Clusters of white hands with fingers extended seemed for a moment to envelop us, clutching, grabbing at us.
From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals
One moment the music envelops us in a mysterious hush and then it is downright jaunty.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
It has the same bustling feeling that envelops SW19, with fans queueing at the merchandise stalls or craning their necks at the practice courts for a glimpse of the players.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2025
I love the sizzle of the hot, spiced ghee when it is poured into the lentils, the way that dal envelops a bowl of rice like a hug.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 8, 2024
For the polar bears of Manitoba, Canada, the sea ice that envelops western Hudson Bay for most of the year is the ideal hunting ground for a feast of blubber-rich seals.
From National Geographic ● Feb. 13, 2024
Steam envelops us, cloaks us; light sparkles on the agitated water; and we keep spinning, so that at some point I’m not sure which hands are mine, which legs.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
The 35-year-old volunteer firefighter has spent more than a month enveloped in this haze, breathing toxic millennia-old microparticles of carbon as he toils against a seemingly inextinguishable fire front.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
That’s one reason cybersecurity stocks like CrowdStrike have seen strong performance this year, bucking the selloff that’s enveloped many other software names.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026
At night, the narrow cobbled streets of Old Havana are enveloped in inky black, devoid of power and virtually deserted.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
After he grounded out in his final at-bat, Freeman enveloped him in an impromptu bear hug.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
Finally they bought a waterproof cape that enveloped her completely, made of semitransparent seal intestine.
From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman
A blanket of toxic haze is enveloping parts of Indonesia and spreading into Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines, as weeks-long wildfires continue to burn.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, John, David, and guest host Juliette Kayyem discuss the newest drama enveloping semi-royals Prince Harry and Meghan after they announced an impending move back to the UK.
From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2026
In this section, Carney plays a supporting role to Pepper’s lead; “Escape from New York” is the enveloping soundtrack.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
But the top note, the sauce, is the silence enveloping it all, peppered by the thunder of a squall just outside.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
There was stunned silence, then: “Oh, thank you, thank you!” cried Mama, enveloping him in a spontaneous hug.
From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
