enroll
Americanverb (used with object)
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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.
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to enlist (oneself ).
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to put in a record; record.
to enroll the minutes of a meeting; to enroll the great events of history.
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to roll or wrap up.
fruit enrolled in tissue paper.
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Nautical. to document (a U.S. vessel) by issuing a certificate of enrollment.
verb (used without object)
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing enroll
The Circuit
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Education and Academics, List 1
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"An Early Start on College"
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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:
Barrett and Justice Sam Alito pressed Colorado’s counsel, Helen Norton, on how often parish preschools refuse to enroll children with same-sex parents.
From Slate ● Nov. 4, 2026
Along with new rules about who can enroll in ACA plans in 2027, Americans are also grappling with the rising cost of living.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026
At the same time, the law changed when children became eligible for state-funded preschool, allowing more to enroll at age 3.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
The idea was that a special school program would be attractive enough to serve as a “magnet” for white students to enroll at a school they might not otherwise attend.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
Kansas State University is in Manhattan, and the two girls planned to enroll there as art students, and to room together.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
SDU dean Jakob Grauslund said the trial had never started, no babies had been enrolled and no vaccinations administered as part of the research.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
You’re retired at 55, enrolled in your wife’s health plan, and facing a potentially life-changing diagnosis.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026
She’s still traveling with Tristam, who’s enrolled in an online school but prefers snowboarding over everything else.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026
It enrolled adults aged 18 to 45 who had early-onset type 2 diabetes and obesity but were not using insulin.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2026
In 1963, right after high school, she enrolled in nursing school in New York.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
After enrolling on the NHS Wales SilverCloud Space from Anxiety programme, he worked through a 12-week course, learning "how to manage my thoughts and let things go".
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
For example, eligible seniors who do not sign up for Part B may face a permanent penalty for enrolling late.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026
Ionis Pharmaceuticals conducted the international study across 13 clinical sites, enrolling 54 patients to evaluate the treatment's safety and effectiveness.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026
For the record, we are not enrolling students and have no intention of operating our new schools.
From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026
She also encouraged her daughter’s natural musical talent by enrolling her in piano lessons.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
