enclose
Americanverb (used with object)
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to shut or hem in; close in on all sides.
a valley enclosed by tall mountains.
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to surround, as with a fence or wall.
to enclose land.
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to insert in the same envelope, package, or the like.
He enclosed a check.
A book was sent with the bill enclosed.
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to hold or contain.
His letter enclosed a check.
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Roman Catholic Church.
verb
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to close; hem in; surround
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to surround (land) with or as if with a fence
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to put in an envelope or wrapper, esp together with a letter
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to contain or hold
Other Word Forms
- enclosable adjective
- encloser noun
- preenclose verb (used with object)
- reenclose verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of enclose
First recorded in 1275–1325, enclose is from the Middle English word enclosen, inclosen. See in- 1, close
Explanation
To enclose something is to surround it or cover it up. An envelope encloses a letter. To enclose is to put something inside something else. A crowd of people could enclose a celebrity, or a wall might enclose a garden. In Edgar Allan Poe’s story “Masque of the Red Death,” the Prince encloses his party guests inside the castle walls (along with the Red Death). (Oops!) A box might enclose a present. If you enclose something with a letter, you’re putting it in the envelope, too.
Vocabulary lists containing enclose
Case Closed: Clud, Clus
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"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act V
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Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
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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.
Two new walls, built to enclose the porch, didn’t feature exposed brick like the others, so Robe set them apart with burgundy Jennifer Shorto wallpaper.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026
They requested China enclose this section inside the embassy's security perimeter.
From BBC • Sep. 9, 2025
In an open letter sent to the community in January, SHM described the “double-barrier” that will enclose the pens and other measures to address these concerns.
From Science Magazine • Feb. 19, 2024
In 2017, after persistent demands from community activists to enclose the site, L.A.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 11, 2023
They organized work forces to construct large irrigation systems for agriculture and to enclose large ponds for fish production.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
