noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ɛnˈlɪst/
/ɪnˈlɪst/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɪst
CMU ARPABET:EH2 N L IH1 S T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
One who is enlisted, usually in a military service.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To enter on a list; to enroll; to register.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To voluntarily join a cause or organization, especially military service.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
The army wants potential soldiers to enlist.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To recruit the aid or membership of others.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
We enlisted fifty new members.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To secure; to obtain.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
They enlisted the government's support.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
join the military
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: sign up
Narrower terms: conscript
7
verb
Meaning 7
engage somebody to enter the army
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h1én Proto-Italic *en Proto-Italic *en- Latin in- Old French en-bor. Middle English en- English en- English list English enlist From en- + list.
Across languages
Translations
105 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
yazdırmaq
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Catalan:
allistar
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Czech:
zapisovat
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Czech:
zapsat
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Finnish:
listautua
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Finnish:
liittyä
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Finnish:
ilmoittautua
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Finnish:
rekisteröityä
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
French:
s'inscrire
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
German:
eintragen
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Ancient Greek:
ἐγγράφω
(engráphō)
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Latin:
conscrībō
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Portuguese:
alistar
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Spanish:
alistar
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Spanish:
enlistar
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Swedish:
värva
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Swedish:
inskriva
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Ottoman Turkish:
یازمق
(yazmak)
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Vietnamese:
đăng ký
— to enter on a list, enroll, register
Belarusian:
запі́свацца
(zapísvacca)
— to join a cause or organization
Belarusian:
запіса́цца
(zapisácca)
— to join a cause or organization
Bulgarian:
постъ́пвам
(postǎ́pvam)
— to join a cause or organization
Bulgarian:
постъ́пя
(postǎ́pja)
— to join a cause or organization
Bulgarian:
запи́свам се
(zapísvam se)
— to join a cause or organization
Bulgarian:
запи́ша се
(zapíša se)
— to join a cause or organization
Catalan:
allistar
— to join a cause or organization
Chinese Mandarin:
入伍
(rùwǔ)
— to join a cause or organization
Chinese Mandarin:
入隊 /入队
(rùduì)
— to join a cause or organization
Czech:
rukovat
— to join a cause or organization
Czech:
narukovat
— to join a cause or organization
Esperanto:
varbiĝi
— to join a cause or organization
Finnish:
liittyä
— to join a cause or organization
Finnish:
värväytyä
— to join a cause or organization
French:
rejoindre
— to join a cause or organization
German:
eintreten
— to join a cause or organization
Japanese:
入隊する
(nyūtai suru)
— to join a cause or organization
Korean:
입대하다
(ipdaehada)
— to join a cause or organization
Polish:
zapisywać się
— to join a cause or organization
Polish:
zapisać się
— to join a cause or organization
Portuguese:
alistar
— to join a cause or organization
Romanian:
înrola
— to join a cause or organization
Russian:
зачисля́ться
(začisljátʹsja)
— to join a cause or organization
Russian:
зачи́слиться
(začíslitʹsja)
— to join a cause or organization
Russian:
запи́сываться
(zapísyvatʹsja)
— to join a cause or organization
Russian:
записа́ться
(zapisátʹsja)
— to join a cause or organization
Russian:
поступа́ть
(postupátʹ)
— to join a cause or organization
Russian:
поступи́ть
(postupítʹ)
— to join a cause or organization
Russian:
вступа́ть
(vstupátʹ)
— to join a cause or organization
Russian:
вступи́ть
(vstupítʹ)
— to join a cause or organization
Slovak:
rukovať
— to join a cause or organization
Slovak:
narukovať
— to join a cause or organization
Spanish:
alistarse
— to join a cause or organization
Spanish:
sentar plaza
— to join a cause or organization
Spanish:
asentar plaza
— to join a cause or organization
Ukrainian:
запи́суватися
(zapýsuvatysja)
— to join a cause or organization
Ukrainian:
записа́тися
(zapysátysja)
— to join a cause or organization
Vietnamese:
đăng lính
— to join a cause or organization
Vietnamese:
đăng
— to join a cause or organization
Vietnamese:
tòng quân
— to join a cause or organization
Belarusian:
вербава́ць
(vjerbavácʹ)
— to recruit others
Belarusian:
завербава́ць
(zavjerbavácʹ)
— to recruit others
Belarusian:
запі́сваць
(zapísvacʹ)
— to recruit others
Belarusian:
запіса́ць
(zapisácʹ)
— to recruit others
Bulgarian:
вербу́вам
(verbúvam)
— to recruit others
Catalan:
allistar
— to recruit others
Catalan:
reclutar
— to recruit others
Czech:
nabírat
— to recruit others
Czech:
nabrat
— to recruit others
Finnish:
värvätä
— to recruit others
Finnish:
rekrytoida
— to recruit others
Finnish:
hankkia jäseneksi
— to recruit others
French:
recruter
— to recruit others
German:
anwerben
— to recruit others
German:
rekrutieren
— to recruit others
Ido:
engajar
— to recruit others
Polish:
werbować
— to recruit others
Polish:
zwerbować
— to recruit others
Portuguese:
recrutar
— to recruit others
Russian:
вербова́ть
(verbovátʹ)
— to recruit others
Russian:
завербова́ть
(zaverbovátʹ)
— to recruit others
Russian:
зачисля́ть
(začisljátʹ)
— to recruit others
Russian:
зачи́слить
(začíslitʹ)
— to recruit others
Russian:
набира́ть
(nabirátʹ)
— to recruit others
Russian:
набра́ть
(nabrátʹ)
— to recruit others
Spanish:
enlistar
— to recruit others
Swedish:
värva
— to recruit others
Swedish:
rekrytera
— to recruit others
Ottoman Turkish:
یازمق
(yazmak)
— to recruit others
Ukrainian:
вербува́ти
(verbuváty)
— to recruit others
Ukrainian:
завербува́ти
(zaverbuváty)
— to recruit others
Ukrainian:
залуча́ти
(zalučáty)
— to recruit others
Ukrainian:
залучи́ти
(zalučýty)
— to recruit others
Ukrainian:
запи́сувати
(zapýsuvaty)
— to recruit others
Ukrainian:
записа́ти
(zapysáty)
— to recruit others
Vietnamese:
tuyển quân
— to recruit others
Vietnamese:
tuyển
— to recruit others
Czech:
zajišťovat si
— to secure, obtain
Czech:
zajistit si
— to secure, obtain
Czech:
získávat
— to secure, obtain
Czech:
získat
— to secure, obtain
Finnish:
hankkia
— to secure, obtain
Finnish:
saada
— to secure, obtain
Russian:
заруча́ться
(zaručátʹsja)
— to secure, obtain
Russian:
заручи́ться
(zaručítʹsja)
— to secure, obtain