Word
enumerate
Phoneticsenu·mer·ate
US/ɪˈnumɝˌeɪt/
UK/ɪnjˈuːməɹˌeɪt/
Definition
v. to name or list things one by one. You use this when you want to be very clear about every item in a group.
v. to mention a number of things one by one; to establish the number of something. Often used in formal or academic contexts to provide a detailed list.
Examples
“She began to enumerate the many reasons for her decision.”
“The report will enumerate every safety violation found during the inspection of the factory.”
“The witness was asked to enumerate the sequence of events leading up to the accident, providing a granular account of the evening's timeline.”
Examples
simple
“She began to enumerate the many reasons for her decision.”
contextual
“The report will enumerate every safety violation found during the inspection of the factory.”
complex
“The witness was asked to enumerate the sequence of events leading up to the accident, providing a granular account of the evening's timeline.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “enumerate” in context.
Verb
01. attempt to enumerate
“It is difficult to attempt to enumerate all the benefits of this new policy.”
verb + verb
02. enumerate as follows
“The main objectives of the project are enumerated as follows.”
verb + prep + adv
03. fail to enumerate
“The witness failed to enumerate the specific details of the encounter.”
verb + verb
Adjective
04. carefully enumerate
“The researcher took care to carefully enumerate every variable in the study.”
adv + verb
05. exhaustively enumerate
“The report attempts to exhaustively enumerate the causes of the systemic failure.”
adv + verb
Noun
06. enumerate benefit
“The brochure seeks to enumerate the benefits of regular exercise.”
verb + noun
07. enumerate instance
“The auditor proceeded to enumerate instances of financial mismanagement.”
verb + noun
08. enumerate reason
“The essay will enumerate the reasons for the decline in biodiversity.”
verb + noun
09. enumerate in detail
“The contract will enumerate in detail the responsibilities of each party.”
10. enumerate the various ways
“She began to enumerate the various ways the technology could be applied.”
11. too many to enumerate
“The advantages of this approach are far too many to enumerate here.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object, typically a plural noun or a list.
Real-World Examples
“It mined the internet for material and enumerated its findings in a pithy, often arbitrarily ordered package.” “He did this by demonstrating that there is no way to enumerate all the real numbers in a list (however long it may be) without omitting some values.” Etymology
First attested 1600–1650, borrowed from Latin enumerātus, the perfect passive participle of enumerō, with the participial adjective surviving into Early Modern English. The verb-forming and adjective-forming suffixes -ate arrived with the borrowing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Domain
- 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
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/enumerate