Word
entail
Phoneticsen·tail, stress on the second syllable
US/ɛnˈteɪɫ/
UK/ɛntˈeɪl/
Definition
v. to involve something as a necessary part or result. If a job entails travel, you must travel to do the job correctly.
v. to involve or require something as an inevitable consequence. Transitive; typically takes a noun phrase or a gerund as its direct object.
Examples
“The new job will entail a lot of travel.”
“Repairing the old bridge will entail closing the main road for at least three months this summer.”
“While the proposal promises significant long-term savings, it would necessarily entail a substantial initial investment that the current budget cannot support without external financing.”
Examples
simple
“The new job will entail a lot of travel.”
contextual
“Repairing the old bridge will entail closing the main road for at least three months this summer.”
complex
“While the proposal promises significant long-term savings, it would necessarily entail a substantial initial investment that the current budget cannot support without external financing.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and often followed by a gerund (e.g., 'entails moving') rather than an infinitive.
Pitfall
The project entails to work late.
The project entails working late.
When followed by another action, this verb requires the -ing form (gerund) rather than the 'to' infinitive.
Real-World Examples
“The Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank says there is "relatively little detail" about what Reform's plan entails.” “It is unclear what the disciplinary procedures against Foucher entail or how long they will last.” Etymology
From Middle English entaillen, from Old French entaillier, entailler (“to notch”, literally “to cut in”); from prefix en- + tailler (“to cut”), from Late Latin taliare, from Latin talea. Compare late Latin feudum talliatum (“a fee entailed, i.e., curtailed or limited”).
From Middle English entaille (“carving”), from Old French entaille (“incision”), from the verb entailler. See above.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/entail