entrance

entrance — noun

1. A door, passage, gate, or similar opening that people use to go into a building,

1.nounA2
Definition

A door, passage, gate, or similar opening that people use to go into a building, room, or other enclosed area.

Example

The main entrance to the school is on Maple Street near the bus stop.

entrance to [place] — preposition pattern

Zola waited at the park entrance for nearly twenty minutes.

Common collocations
  • front entrance
  • main entrance
  • side entrance
  • entrance to
  • entrance of
  • at the entrance
  • near the entrance
Synonyms
  • doorway

    refers specifically to the opening of a door, not a gate or passage

  • entry

    more general than entrance; can also refer to the act of entering

  • gate

    used for outdoor openings in a fence or wall

Antonyms
  • exit

    a way to leave a place

Usage Note

The opposite is 'exit'. The related verb is 'enter' (/ˈentər/).

Common Mistakes

I waited at the enter of the building.
I waited at the entrance of the building.
'Enter' is a verb, not a noun; 'entrance' is the correct noun form.

2. The moment when a performer walks onto a stage to begin or continue their part i

2.nounB1
Definition

The moment when a performer walks onto a stage to begin or continue their part in a play, concert, or dance show.

Example

Gabriel took a deep breath before his entrance onto the brightly lit stage.

The dancer's dramatic entrance earned loud applause from the crowd.

dramatic entrance — adjective collocation with dramatic

Common collocations
  • make an entrance
  • first entrance
  • dramatic entrance
  • stage entrance
  • entrance onto
Synonyms
  • arrival

    broader — refers to arriving anywhere, not specifically on stage

  • appearance

    emphasises being seen, which is similar but less specific to theatre

Antonyms
  • exit

    the moment a performer leaves the stage

Usage Note

Often paired with the verbs 'make' or 'do' (e.g. 'she made her entrance'). 'Entrance' in theatre also refers to where the actor enters from (e.g. 'stage left entrance').

3. The way a person steps into a room, particularly when this draws the attention o

3.nounB1
Definition

The way a person steps into a room, particularly when this draws the attention of others who are already present.

Example

Everyone in the office looked up at Rin's sudden entrance.

adjective + entrance (sudden entrance) — modifier pattern

The children cheered at their mother's entrance with the birthday cake.

Common collocations
  • make an entrance
  • sudden entrance
  • quiet entrance
  • noisy entrance
  • dramatic entrance
Synonyms
  • arrival

    broader — can refer to reaching any destination, not necessarily entering a room

  • entry

    very similar; 'entry' is often more formal and can also be uncountable

Antonyms

Usage Note

Unlike sense 1 (DOOR OR GATE), this sense refers to the action itself, not the physical opening. Distinguish from sense 2 (STAGE ENTRANCE), which is specifically about performers: sense 3 covers everyday situations like walking into a room.

4. The official or legal permission to go into a building, area, or organisation, s

4.nounB1
Definition

The official or legal permission to go into a building, area, or organisation, sometimes granted by payment or membership.

Example

Students have free entrance to the museum on weekends and holidays.

free entrance to [place] — common phrase for no-cost access

Entrance to the building is restricted to staff members after ten at night.

entrance to [place] + passive: is restricted — formal register

Common collocations
  • free entrance
  • entrance to
  • entrance fee
  • allow entrance
  • gain entrance
  • deny entrance
  • refuse entrance
Synonyms
  • admission

    commonly implies a fee or ticket; more common for events and shows

  • entry

    interchangeable with entrance in formal contexts; 'entry' is slightly more common for legal permission

  • access

    emphasises the ability to enter, often ongoing or habitual

Antonyms

Usage Note

Unlike 'admission', which often implies a ticket price, 'entrance' in this sense can refer to both free and paid access. 'Entry' is a close synonym and is used interchangeably in most contexts.

Common Mistakes

I bought an entrance to the concert.
I bought admission to the concert.' or 'I bought a ticket for the concert.
'Entrance' as a right does not refer to a physical ticket.

entrance — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Entrance and entry both refer to a way into a place, but entrance is the more common word for a physical opening such as a door or gate, especially the main one. Entry is broader — it can describe the same physical opening but is also used in abstract or formal contexts (e.g. 'entry into the country', 'entry requirements'). Access emphasises the ability or right to enter rather than the opening itself. Gateway specifically refers to an opening in a fence or wall with a hinged or sliding gate, often implying a transition between two areas. Doorway is limited to the opening of a door in a wall. For example: 'The main entrance to the building is on the left' — 'The country denied entry to the refugees' — 'Wheelchair access is available through the side door' — 'The garden gateway opened into a field of wildflowers.'

entrance ↗entry ↗accessgateway ↗doorway ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • point of entrance
  • entrance hall
  • entrance fee
  • make an entrance
  • gain entrance
  • deny entrance

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

This English word has two separate origins. The noun entrance (a door or the act of entering) comes from Old French 'entrance', derived from 'entrer' (to enter), which traces back to Latin 'intrare' (to go into). The verb entrance (to captivate) comes from a different root: the prefix 'en-' (to cause to be in) combined with 'trance', from Old French 'transe' (a state of fear or a passage from life to death), ultimately from Latin 'transire' (to go across). So the noun is related to 'enter' and 'entry', while the verb is related to 'trance' and 'transit'.