enlist

IPA/ɪnˈlɪst/
KK[ˌɛnlˈɪst]IPA/ɪnˈlɪst/

enlist — verb

  • enlistpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • enlistshe / she / it
  • enlistedpast simple
  • enlisting-ing form

1. to sign up to serve as a member of a country's military forces, such as the army

1.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to sign up to serve as a member of a country's military forces, such as the army, navy, or air force

Example

After finishing college, Christopher enlisted in the navy and began basic training.

enlist in [branch of military]

At the age of nineteen, Mizuki enlisted in the air force and trained to fly.

Common collocations
  • enlist in the army
  • enlist in the navy
  • enlist in the air force
  • enlist as a soldier
  • enlist as an officer
  • enlist as a medic
  • enlist for active duty
  • enlist for a period of service
Synonyms
  • join up

    informal British alternative; 'He joined up at eighteen.'

  • sign up

    less formal, can also apply to non-military enrolment

  • volunteer

    emphasises the voluntary nature rather than the formal act of signing

  • enroll

    broader term; can apply to school or courses, not just military

Antonyms
  • desert

    to leave the military without permission — the opposite of joining

  • discharge

    to be released from service, usually by official decision, not by choice

Grammar Patterns

enlist + in + noun phrase (branch of military)

enlist + as + noun phrase (role)

Usage Note

Frequently used with the preposition 'in' to name the branch of service (enlist in the army / navy / air force / marines). The preposition 'as' specifies the role (enlist as a medic / soldier). The transitive use (enlist somebody) means to recruit them into the military, which is less common in everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

I enlisted to the military.
I enlisted in the military.
The correct preposition is 'in' when naming the branch or organisation, not 'to'.
He enlisted himself in the army.
He enlisted in the army.
'Enlist' is already reflexive in meaning; adding 'himself' is redundant.

2. to persuade someone to provide help, support, or their efforts for a particular

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to persuade someone to provide help, support, or their efforts for a particular cause or task

Example

Reema enlisted the help of two librarians to research her family history.

enlist the help of [person]

The neighbourhood group enlisted volunteers to plant trees along the main street.

Common collocations
  • enlist the help of someone
  • enlist the support of someone
  • enlist the aid of someone
  • enlist someone to do something
  • enlist someone's cooperation
  • enlist assistance
  • enlist volunteers
  • enlist backing
Synonyms
  • recruit

    stronger sense of active searching and signing up; more formal and organisational

  • secure

    more business-like; can also apply to funding or resources, not just people

  • obtain

    neutral and broad; lacks the sense of personal persuasion

  • mobilize

    implies organising and activating people quickly, often in an emergency

Antonyms
  • refuse

    to say no to a request — the opposite of agreeing to help

  • decline

    polite refusal; more formal than 'refuse'

Grammar Patterns

enlist + noun phrase (help/support) + of + noun phrase (person)

enlist + noun phrase (person) + to-infinitive clause

Usage Note

Common in formal, organisational, and journalistic contexts. The object is typically an abstract noun like 'help,' 'support,' or 'aid,' or a person directly followed by a to-infinitive clause (enlist someone to do something). Unlike 'recruit,' which implies an active search and a formal role, 'enlist' focuses on asking someone who then agrees to contribute.

Common Mistakes

She enlisted the project manager.' (ambiguous — implies military recruitment).
She enlisted the project manager's help.
Specify the type of support to avoid confusion with the military sense.
They enlisted him for helping.
They enlisted him to help.
Use the to-infinitive form after the person, not 'for + -ing'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

Enlist, recruit, secure, and mobilize all involve getting people to help, but they differ in tone and scope. Enlist (sense 2) is neutral and focuses on asking someone who then agrees to contribute — you approach a person directly for their help on a specific task. Recruit is more active and formal: you seek out and sign up people, often for a long-term role in an organisation. Secure sounds business-like and can apply to abstract resources like funding or approval, not just people. Mobilize implies rapid organisation and activation of people or resources, especially in an emergency or crisis. For example: 'The manager enlisted a colleague to proofread the report' suggests a one-off request. 'The company recruited fifty new engineers' implies a hiring campaign. 'The charity secured donations from local businesses' sounds like a formal fundraising effort. 'The government mobilized rescue teams after the earthquake' suggests urgent, organised deployment.

enlist ↗recruit ↗secure ↗mobilize ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • enlist in
  • enlist the help of
  • enlist the support of
  • enlist as

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'enlist' was formed in English during the mid-1700s. It combines the prefix 'en-' (meaning 'to put into') with the noun 'list' — a military roll or roster of soldiers. The original literal meaning was 'to put someone's name on the list of soldiers.' By the late 1700s, the figurative sense of gaining any kind of help or support for a purpose had already emerged.