enroll

enroll — verb

1. to add your own name or another person's name to an official list so that you ca

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to add your own name or another person's name to an official list so that you can join a class, program, or organization

Example

Yael decided to enroll in a Spanish course at the local community college.

enroll + in + [course]

Christopher and his wife enrolled their daughter in the morning kindergarten class.

enroll + [person] + in + [institution/class]

Common collocations
  • enroll in
  • enroll on (British)
  • enroll as
  • enroll for
  • enroll at
Synonyms
  • register

    more formal in many contexts; 'register for a course' and 'enroll in a course' are very similar, but 'register' is also used for voting, hotels, and events

  • sign up

    more informal; 'sign up for a yoga class' sounds natural, while 'enroll' can feel too formal for casual activities

  • join

    broadest meaning; you can join a club or team without any formal paperwork, which 'enroll' usually requires

Antonyms
  • withdraw

    to remove yourself from a course or program you had enrolled in

  • drop out

    to stop attending a course or school before completing it

Grammar Patterns

enroll + in/on + [course/program]

enroll + [person/oneself] + in + [institution]

Usage Note

Subject can be a person enrolling themselves (intransitive: 'enroll in') or a parent/institution enrolling someone else (transitive: 'enroll + object + in'). British English uses the spelling 'enrol'.

Common Mistakes

I enrolled to the gym.
I enrolled in the gym's fitness program.
Use 'enroll in' (not 'to') for the thing you join.
She enrolled a French course.
She enrolled in a French course.
When joining yourself, add 'in' before the course or program.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

These words all involve becoming part of a group or activity, but they differ in formality and scope. 'Enroll' and 'register' are both fairly formal and imply an official list or record — you enroll in a degree program or register for a conference. 'Sign up' is informal and suggests a quick, low-commitment decision: 'I signed up for a free webinar.' 'Join' is the broadest and most neutral — you can join a club, a team, or a conversation. 'Enlist' is more specific, traditionally used for military service, though it can extend metaphorically to 'enlist support' or 'enlist help.' Use 'enroll' when official paperwork or a membership list is involved, and 'sign up' for casual or one-time activities.

register ↗sign upjoin ↗enlist ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • enroll in a course
  • enroll at a school
  • enroll as a member

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'enroll' comes from the Old French 'enroller' (13th century), which literally meant 'to record on a roll of parchment.' A 'roll' was a scroll listing names, so 'enrolling' someone originally meant writing their name onto such a list. The spelling with a double 'l' is standard in American English, while British English uses 'enrol' (one 'l').