WordGarden.ioentail
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɛntˈeɪl/
US
- /ɛnˈteɪl/
Meanings
Verb
to involve or require as a necessary part or result
to make another statement necessarily true in logic or formal reasoning
to legally restrict property inheritance to a specified line of heirs
Beyond the definition
If accepting a prestigious job entails moving across the country, that move is a necessary part of taking the job. It's not just possible; it's required. The word is often used when one thing naturally brings another with it. Caring for a pet entails daily attention, and running a business often entails long hours. It usually points to something that comes with a duty, cost, result, or condition.
To entail something means to involve it as a necessary part, result, or condition. It shows that one thing naturally includes or requires another. It's more than just correlation; it's about a real link in which one situation brings another with it. For example, "Taking on this responsibility entails a significant time commitment" means the time commitment is part of the responsibility, not just something that might happen.
The word often appears in formal or careful writing, especially when talking about duties, consequences, or practical demands. You might say, "Winning the lottery entails a lot of attention from the media," "Being a parent entails making sacrifices," or "Breaching the contract entails legal consequences." In each case, the second thing is not random; it comes as part of the first.
It can also be used for practical requirements: a plan may entail extra work, a trip may entail careful planning, or a new system may entail staff training. The idea is that these things are built into the situation. The word usually suggests a clear and reasonable connection, not a vague guess or a personal feeling.
So, when one thing inherently includes or requires another, that's when you use the word entail. It's about what comes with something by necessity, not just what might happen beside it.
Examples
- 1
Job requirements
The job entails a lot of travel.
- 2
Home buying
Buying a house usually entails a long list of extra costs.
- 3
Leadership duties
Being a team leader entails making decisions quickly.
- Patternentail + -ing
involve having to do it
- 4
Company changes
A move like that could entail major changes to the whole company.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Legal responsibilities
The deal may entail certain legal responsibilities.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- entailnounverb
Forms
- entailspluralnounverb
- entailedpast tenseverbnoun
- entailing-ing formverbnoun