enclose
Americanverb (used with object)
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encloses,
present (3rd person singular)
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enclosed,
past participle, past
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enclosing
present participle
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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.
-
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
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enclosernoun
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preencloseverb (used with object)
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reencloseverb (used with object)
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enclosableadjective
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.
See Examples For:
Why not enclose Vuitton’s allotted space within the shell of a trans-Atlantic liner?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025
A family found the cans - light-tight containers used to enclose film - in the shed belonging to their father, an editor on the show who died recently.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2024
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
Perhaps this is because they enclose the unique, the spectacular, the astounding—the greatest waterfall, the deepest canyon, the highest cliff, the most stupendous works of man or nature.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
But it had no lights of its own, so the volunteers used the LED lights and glow sticks to attach homemade Dodgers-themed signage to the fence that encloses the bridge.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 2026
Mr. Nesbø encloses “Wolf Hour,” translated from the Norwegian by Robert Ferguson, in a clever conceptual envelope: The book is being written years later by a Norwegian cousin of Bob’s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026
This approach encloses CBD molecules within water-soluble nano-micelles, which are considered safe for use in foods and medicines.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 18, 2025
Towards the back of the area so far excavated there is a wall that encloses three rooms.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2023
As my heartbeat decreases and that knot that encloses my heart loosens, I think that maybe, just maybe, everything will be all right.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
In 1965, American superfan Kathy Salt wrote to then-occupant Ashley Jones, who enclosed a photograph of the house and a key, with a tag attached, in his letter back.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
That’s enough to power thousands of homes, but they usually need less than a quarter of an acre of space, with the batteries enclosed in steel-walled containers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Not exactly what you want to hear while inside a winged, enclosed metal tube traveling at 530 miles per hour, 35,000 feet above the ground.
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026
The solar system is enclosed within a protective region created by the Sun, somewhat like the way Earth is surrounded by an atmosphere.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 2, 2026
There was a disenfranchisement from both the present and the past, from the body beside him and the headlights in front of him; he was enclosed in a timeless realm without margins, outlines, or tense.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Bizarrely, a green gate and fence enclosing the site stood untouched.
From Barron's ● Mar. 7, 2026
Some hotels have been moving the sink and shower into the bedroom and enclosing the toilet in glass or placing it in cubby-like space, which helps make the room look more spacious, Hanson said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 20, 2026
In fact, it later puffs up sideways and transforms into what looks like a huge cosmic watermelon, enclosing everything close by.
From Space Scoop ● Nov. 28, 2025
"Aside from the stylets, and being able to determine that some females were still enclosing eggs, other pertinent characters are not clearly visible," Poinar said.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 6, 2024
She glanced nervously at the long emptiness of the walls enclosing them.
From "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury
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