entrance
1 Americannoun
-
an act of entering, as into a place or upon new duties.
- Antonyms:
- exit
-
a point or place of entering; an opening or passage for entering, as a doorway.
- Antonyms:
- exit
-
the right, privilege, or permission to enter; admission.
People improperly dressed will be refused entrance to the theater.
-
Theater. the moment or place in the script at which an actor comes on the stage.
-
Music.
-
the point in a musical score at which a particular voice or instrument joins the ensemble.
-
the way in which this is done.
a sloppy entrance.
-
-
a manner, means, or style of entering a room, group, etc.; way of coming into view.
She mimicked Joan's entrance.
-
Nautical. the immersed portion of a hull forward of the middle body (opposed to run).
noun
-
the act or an instance of entering; entry
-
a place for entering, such as a door or gate
-
-
the power, liberty, or right of entering; admission
-
( as modifier )
an entrance fee
-
-
the coming of an actor or other performer onto a stage
verb
-
to fill with wonder and delight; enchant
-
to put into a trance; hypnotize
Synonym Usage
Entrance, admittance, admission refer to the possibility of entering a place or a group. Entrance may refer to either possibility: Entrance is by way of the side door; entrance into a card game. Admittance refers more to place and suggests entrance that may be permitted or denied: to gain admittance to a building; no admittance. Admission refers more to special groups and suggests entrance by payment, by formal or special permission, privilege, and the like: admission to a concert, a game, to candidacy, the bar, to society.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
entrancesimple
-
entrancessimple
-
have entrancedperfect
-
has entrancedperfect
-
am entrancingprogressive
-
are entrancingprogressive
-
is entrancingprogressive
-
have been entrancingperfect progressive
-
has been entrancingperfect progressive
Past
-
entrancedsimple
-
had entrancedperfect
-
was entrancingprogressive
-
were entrancingprogressive
-
had been entrancingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of entrance1
First recorded in 1525–50; from Middle French; see enter, -ance
Origin of entrance2
Explanation
As a noun, entrance means an act of entering or something that provides a way to enter something. You can make a grand entrance when you arrive at a party, as long as you can actually find the entrance. Entrance has two pronunciations. If you put the accent on the first syllable, the word is a noun meaning the act of entering or the way into something ("an entrance to the building"). If the accent is on the second syllable, then entrance is a verb meaning "to enchant, charm, or enamor" — "You will be entranced by the movie; the scenery looks so real you will swear it is growing in the theater."
Vocabulary lists containing entrance
Beowulf 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!
Gene Wilder (1933-2016) Tribute List
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!
myPerspectives 9.2
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.
See Examples For:
Four days later, on Nov. 21, Kirchner, Kaufmyn and others were scheduled to hold a press conference ahead of their trial on blocking OpenAI’s entrance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
He is studying for the the law-school entrance exam so that he can become a test tutor.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 11, 2026
MSG’s appeal was obvious: drone and paparazzi-proof, security personnel at every entrance, and capable of holding an estimated 1,000 guests.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
At the entrance, travelers will encounter a pair of 16-foot-tall sculptures, “The Two Electras,” by Cliff Garten; inside, a ceiling grid artwork by Glenn Kaino.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
A low roof, so low that he had to crouch on hands and knees; a slab of ice by the entrance hole.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
During my stay on the islands, I regularly found myself tiptoeing around sea lions lounging beside hotel entrances or ferry docks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
Officials advised commuters to use alternate entrances as portions of the neighborhood became accessible only through managed checkpoints.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026
After the April incident, Waters said, probation officials enhanced screening measures at entrances to its facilities, including the expanded use of drug-sniffing dogs and “airport-style body scanners.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
In the West Bank, local Palestinian sources and Palestinian official news agency Wafa reported that Israeli forces closed two checkpoints at entrances to the city of Tulkarem, located north of the scenes of the attacks.
From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2026
Tucked among them, Pax saw three den entrances.
From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker
"I'm entranced by Mr Haaland," said Miami resident Robert, speaking to BBC Mundo.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
That becomes a problem when, after one of their weekly lunches, the three friends stroll around a furniture store, where Camille is entranced by a gorgeous chair she can’t possibly afford.
From Salon ● Feb. 18, 2026
A protective barrier prevented her from entering, and the deteriorating balconies made it look a bit unsafe, but peeking through the windows, she was entranced by the yellow kitchen.
From Slate ● Feb. 1, 2026
Born in New York, Mr. Williams was entranced by music from his earliest days.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
The sharp-dressed young “cats” who hung on the comers and in the poolrooms, bars and restaurants, and who obviously didn’t work anywhere, completely entranced me.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
Brazil now need major surgery - starting with the area of the field where they used to be so strong, so creative, so entrancing - the midfield.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
The lyric, "I'll cry my eyes violet", refers to the star's famously entrancing eyes; and the line "what could you possibly get for the girl who has everything" namechecks one of her films.
From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026
It is not necessary to know the backstory of the picture and its title to find it entrancing, but its history is a rich one.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
But it’s on a visual level that the production is at its most entrancing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2026
He reads and rereads the words of Herr Friedrick Thiessen, finding them both familiar and entrancing.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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.
