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

Etymology

Origin of enroll

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

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

Her oncologist at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center offered to enroll her in Gilead’s clinical trial, and she started treatment the following January.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 24, 2026

So while he joined the Philadelphia Union academy as a teen, he craved the demands of school and left soon afterward to enroll at Harvard.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2026

Without a permanent green card, it is harder for legal permanent residents “to work, open bank accounts, secure housing, obtain health insurance, and enroll in school,” Jackson noted.

From Slate • Jun. 23, 2026

“We encourage borrowers to take advantage of this opportunity and enroll in autopay as soon as possible,” Kent said.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 18, 2026

I talked to Padre de Jesus L6pez, our new priest, who promised to talk to Padre Fabrd about letting Nelson enroll in Santo Tomas de Aquino in the capital.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

Related Words

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