enterprising

adjective

ˈen-tər-ˌprī-ziŋ How to pronounce enterprising (audio)
Definition of enterprisingnext
1
as in aggressive
having or showing a bold forcefulness in the pursuit of a goal the company is claiming that there will be huge financial rewards for enterprising sales representatives

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in adventurous
inclined or willing to take risks enterprising people of vision were responsible for the boom in technological industries

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of enterprising All Stanford students are ambitious, but many of the most enterprising among them drop out. — Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026 Our enterprising Gravedigger, a true woman of science, engineers a lizard elixir and regenerates the finger into a long tentacle that eventually demands a body. — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026 This was little more than a wooden shack beside a convenience store and a karaoke parlor, all of them run by an enterprising resident who had already buried 200 people in the 12 months since Duterte had taken office, nearly all of them drug suspects. — Sheila Coronel, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026 During the night, an enterprising photographer with a telephoto lens sneaked upstairs in a building opposite Children’s and found a window in line with Patrick’s room. — Steven Levingston, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for enterprising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enterprising
  1. aggressive
  2. adventurous
  3. ambitious
  4. daring
  5. fierce
Adjective
  • Cramer also pointed to Abercrombie's aggressive share repurchases as another boost to earnings per share.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Miami Marlins manager Clayton McCullough, being aggressive in what was a must-win series finale against the Washington Nationals, chose to go to his bullpen early.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of aggressive
Adjective
  • The Ideal Trip for Families and Groups These 4x4 safaris are particularly well suited to families with teenagers and groups of friends seeking a more adventurous, immersive way to explore Iceland.
    — Gwen Nicol, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Photograph by Ramona Rosales / AUGUST Musgraves’s subsequent albums have been sprawling in their search for meaning, and even more adventurous in the sonic pathways travelled to get there.
    — Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of adventurous
Adjective
  • Up to half of the more than 200,000 mountain glaciers — vast, slow moving rivers of ice that creep across the world’s peaks — are expected to disappear by the end of this century, even if ambitious climate goals are met.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Some argue that cultural norms of male leadership and even outright discrimination keep women from top roles, while others argue that women are less ambitious than men.
    — Laura Clawson, JSTOR Daily, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of ambitious
Adjective
  • Finn Gomez / Getty Images Kirkwood, who races for Andretti Global, started second but took the lead on the opening lap with a daring maneuver around the outside of pole-sitter and championship leader Alex Palou in front of the National Archives.
    — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2026
  • As the investigation unfolded, what initially appeared to be a daring ransom scheme evolved into a complex story of obsession, deception, and unexpected motives.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of daring
Adjective
  • Casemiro and Messi, fierce rivals when Casemiro was at Real Madrid and Messi at Barcelona, celebrated together, a rare sight for longtime La Liga fans.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Pearce was celebrating five years of Opry membership and would return later to channel many aspects of Dolly, from her humor and fierce independence to her Appalachian roots.
    — Chris Parton, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of fierce

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enterprises
enterprising
enters
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Cite this Entry

“Enterprising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enterprising. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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