enlist
verb (used without object)
to enroll, usually voluntarily, for military service.
had enlisted
-
past perfectof enlist.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
It had enlisted an unlikely negotiator: a celebrated Kenyan maestro who had come to enjoy the performance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Eric only told his father he had enlisted after he had been captured by Ukraine -- in a phone call from prison.
From Barron's ● Jan. 30, 2026
Born in California in 1930, Hackman had enlisted in the army after lying about his age at 16, serving for four-and-a-half years.
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2025
He had enlisted less than a year earlier, and started his tour three months before he died.
From Slate ● Oct. 24, 2024
The master had said it in so many words—my reward for whatever awaited me in this nightmarish new world into which I had enlisted.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
