# enterprise

/ˈɛnɝˌpɹaɪz/ (US) · /ˈɛntəpɹˌaɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/enterprise
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a business

noun · CEFR B2

a company or a business organization.

For teachers: a business organization or company, often implying a commercial or industrial scale.

- The government is offering grants to help small enterprises grow.
- The merger created a massive global enterprise with operations in over fifty countries and a workforce exceeding one hundred thousand.

### 2. a project

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a large, new, or difficult project that requires effort.

For teachers: a purposeful and typically ambitious undertaking or venture.

- Building the new bridge was a massive enterprise that took five years.
- The exploration of the deep ocean remains a challenging enterprise that requires significant international cooperation and funding.

### 3. initiative

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the ability to think of new ideas and make them succeed.

For teachers: the quality of energy, initiative, and resourcefulness in carrying out projects.

- She showed great enterprise by starting her own shop at age eighteen.
- The success of the startup was largely due to the founders' enterprise and their willingness to take calculated risks in a volatile market.

## Examples

- Starting a new business is a risky enterprise.
- The construction of the high-speed rail network was a massive enterprise that took over a decade to complete.
- While the local government initially funded the enterprise, it eventually transitioned into a private venture that required significant capital investment to remain competitive in the global market.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.