enclose

verb

en·​close in-ˈklōz 

en-

variants or less commonly inclose

in-ˈklōz 

enclosed also inclosed; enclosing also inclosing; encloses also incloses

transitive verb

1

a(1)

: to close in : surround

enclose a porch with glass

(2)

: to fence off (common land) for individual use

b

: to hold in : confine

2

: to include along with something else in a parcel or envelope

a check is enclosed herewith

Synonyms

• box (in)
• cage
• closet
• coop (up)
• corral
• encage
• encase
• envelop
• fence (in)
• hedge
• hem (in)
• house
• immure
• include
• mew (up)
• pen
• wall (in)

Examples of enclose in a Sentence

The pie's flaky crust encloses a fruit filling.

Enclose the fish in foil and bake.

She enclosed a photo with the card.

Please enclose a check with your application.

Enclosed with this letter are the tickets you ordered.

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s even a circle that encloses on the map similar to a battle royale game, though this is not a competitive PvE title. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025

SpaceX is also recovering and reusing payload fairings, the shell that encloses satellite payloads during their initial climb through the atmosphere. —Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 14 Jan. 2025

Escobedo’s design for the Oscar L. Tang and H.M. Agnes Hsu-Tang Wing — named after its lead donors — connects the galleries to the rest of the museum, creates openings to the city and the park through new windows and encloses the building in a limestone lattice screen. —Robin Pogrebin, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025

Instead of small pieces of apple, there are big, tender chunks strewn throughout, peeking up through the icing and enclosed in a secret cache in the middle. —Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, probably from enclos enclosed, from Anglo-French, past participle of enclore to enclose, from Vulgar Latin *inclaudere, alteration of Latin includere — more at include

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Kids Definition

enclose

verb

en·​close

variants also inclose

in-ˈklōz

1

a

: to close in : surround

enclose a porch with glass

b

: to hold in : confine

enclose animals in a pen

2

: to place in a parcel or envelope

enclose a card with the present