enclose
Americanverb (used with object)
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to shut or hem in; close in on all sides.
a valley enclosed by tall mountains.
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to surround, as with a fence or wall.
to enclose land.
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to insert in the same envelope, package, or the like.
He enclosed a check.
A book was sent with the bill enclosed.
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to hold or contain.
His letter enclosed a check.
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Roman Catholic Church.
verb
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to close; hem in; surround
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to surround (land) with or as if with a fence
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to put in an envelope or wrapper, esp together with a letter
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to contain or hold
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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enclosesimple
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enclosessimple
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have enclosedperfect
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has enclosedperfect
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am enclosingprogressive
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are enclosingprogressive
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is enclosingprogressive
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have been enclosingperfect progressive
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has been enclosingperfect progressive
Past
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enclosedsimple
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had enclosedperfect
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was enclosingprogressive
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were enclosingprogressive
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had been enclosingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of enclose
First recorded in 1275–1325, enclose is from the Middle English word enclosen, inclosen. See in- 1, close
Explanation
To enclose something is to surround it or cover it up. An envelope encloses a letter. To enclose is to put something inside something else. A crowd of people could enclose a celebrity, or a wall might enclose a garden. In Edgar Allan Poe’s story “Masque of the Red Death,” the Prince encloses his party guests inside the castle walls (along with the Red Death). (Oops!) A box might enclose a present. If you enclose something with a letter, you’re putting it in the envelope, too.
Vocabulary lists containing enclose
Case Closed: Clud, Clus
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"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act V
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Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
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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.
Why not enclose Vuitton’s allotted space within the shell of a trans-Atlantic liner?
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 20, 2025
They requested China enclose this section inside the embassy's security perimeter.
From BBC • Sep. 9, 2025
Their capsule-like shape can enclose and protect mRNA, which provides instructions for cells to manufacture proteins.
From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2024
In an open letter sent to the community in January, SHM described the “double-barrier” that will enclose the pens and other measures to address these concerns.
From Science Magazine • Feb. 19, 2024
I saw it as a dark, amorphous cloud that would descend from above and enclose us forever.
From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
