enter

/ˈɛntə(ɹ)/

//ˈɛntə(ɹ)// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"enter" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“enter” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,632 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#1,632
frequency rank, English
5
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To go or come into an enclosed or partially enclosed space.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

enter vs ever
60% similar
enter vs entry
60% similar
enter vs ether
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for enter
PropertyValue
Headwordenter
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈɛntə(ɹ)/
Letters5
Frequency rank#1,632
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “enter” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). enter lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for enter is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɛntə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,632 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for enter, with forms such as "enetr", "ennter", and "enterr". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "ever", "entry", "ether", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English entren, from Old French entrer, from Latin intrō (“enter”, verb), from intrā (“inside”). Has been spelled as "enter" for several centuries even in the United Kingdom, although British English and the English of many Commonwealth Countrie… The correct English form is enter, spelled E-N-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    To go or come into an enclosed or partially enclosed space.
  2. 2
    To cause to go (into), or to be received (into); to put in; to insert; to cause to be admitted.
  3. 3
    To go or come into (a state or profession).
  4. 4
    To type (something) into a computer; to input.
  5. 5
    To record (something) in an account, ledger, etc.
  6. 6
    To become a party to an agreement, treaty, etc.
  7. 7
    To become effective; to come into effect.
  8. 8
    To go into or upon, as lands, and take actual possession of them.
  9. 9
    To place in regular form before the court, usually in writing; to put upon record in proper from and order
  10. 10
    To make report of (a vessel or its cargo) at the custom house; to submit a statement of (imported goods), with the original invoices, to the proper customs officer for estimating the duties. See entry.
  11. 11
    To file, or register with the land office, the required particulars concerning (a quantity of public land) in order to entitle a person to a right of preemption.
  12. 12
    To deposit for copyright the title or description of (a book, picture, map, etc.).
  13. 13
    To initiate; to introduce favourably.
  14. 14
    To begin (a regular activity or job); to undertake; to take up.

Etymology

From Middle English entren, from Old French entrer, from Latin intrō (“enter”, verb), from intrā (“inside”). Has been spelled as "enter" for several centuries even in the United Kingdom, although British English and the English of many Commonwealth Countries (e.g. Australia, Canada) retain the "re" ending for many words such as centre, fibre, spectre, theatre, calibre, sombre, lustre, and litre.

Synonyms

go iningocome in

Antonyms

exit

This word in other languages

entrar(Español)entrer(Français)hineingehen(Deutsch)entrar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: enetr,ennter,enterr,entter,etner,neter

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of enter - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

enetr2ennter1enterr1entter1etner2neter2
Edit distance from "enter"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "enter"?
"enter" is spelled E-N-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɛntə(ɹ)/.
What does "enter" mean?
As a verb, "enter" means: To go or come into an enclosed or partially enclosed space.
What words are commonly confused with "enter"?
"enter" is commonly confused with "ever", "entry", "ether". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "enter"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "enter" is /ˈɛntə(ɹ)/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "enter"?
From Middle English entren, from Old French entrer, from Latin intrō (“enter”, verb), from intrā (“inside”). Has been spelled as "enter" for several centuries even in the United Kingdom, although British English and the English of many Commonwealt... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “enter”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-N-T-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɛntə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “ever” - see the side-by-side comparison. enter vs ever
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list