enlist
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
-
to engage for military service.
to enlist men for the army.
-
to secure (a person, services, etc.) for some cause, enterprise, etc..
They enlisted us to serve as ushers at the meeting.
verb
-
to enter or persuade to enter into an engagement to serve in the armed forces
-
(tr) to engage or secure (a person, his services, or his support) for a venture, cause, etc
-
to enter into or join an enterprise, cause, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
enlistsimple
-
enlistssimple
-
have enlistedperfect
-
has enlistedperfect
-
am enlistingprogressive
-
are enlistingprogressive
-
is enlistingprogressive
-
have been enlistingperfect progressive
-
has been enlistingperfect progressive
Past
-
enlistedsimple
-
had enlistedperfect
-
was enlistingprogressive
-
were enlistingprogressive
-
had been enlistingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of enlist
Explanation
To enlist is to voluntarily join the military. You may have seen television commercials or posters encouraging people to enlist. There are various ways people end up in the military. Sometimes there's a draft, which selects people whether they want to go or not. Sometimes people enlist, which means they sign up on their own. Enlisting also refers to recruiting or hiring people for some purpose or organization. If you are moving, you might try to enlist your friends to help — good luck with that.
Vocabulary lists containing enlist
Veterans Day Vocabulary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Memorial Day: Words of Respect and Remembrance
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Code Talker
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
To replenish supplies, Trump administration and Pentagon officials have pressed weapons makers to accelerate production, while seeking to enlist other manufacturers, including GM.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026
Bird enthusiast and Sevidov's best friend, Vyacheslav Kaistro, did enlist.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
The U.S. could also enlist the help of the Coast Guard or special-operations forces to carry out tanker seizures.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
Tolkan landed a scholarship to the college, but his academic career was short-lived, and he left to enlist in the U.S.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
Take your fight for the right to be different to the people with power, and enlist your parents' help.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
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.
