enter into

formally agree to a contract, deal, or set of talks

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What does "enter into sth" mean?

To enter into a formal agreement, contract, or negotiation means to make a binding commitment to it in an official, legally recognised way. The phrase emphasises the precise moment of commitment — the point at which parties become formally obligated — rather than any ongoing relationship that follows. It is characteristic of legal documents, business reporting, and diplomatic language, where precision and formality are paramount. Governments sign treaties, corporations conclude contracts, and negotiating parties open talks — and in all these contexts, 'enter into' is the natural, expected phrase. You are unlikely to hear it in everyday conversation; its natural home is written legal and official prose, formal news coverage, and boardroom or courtroom speech.

Examples

How to use it

subject + enter into + noun phrase (agreement/contract/treaty/negotiations)

The most fundamental pattern: a party formally commits to a binding instrument or process, with the object always following 'into'.

The two firms entered into a joint venture agreement earlier this year.

agree/be required/be expected + to enter into + noun phrase

Used after modal-like expressions and infinitive constructions to describe anticipated or obligatory formal commitments.

All suppliers are required to enter into a non-disclosure agreement before accessing the data.

subject + have/has entered into + noun phrase

The present perfect is common in formal reporting to describe a commitment that has recently been made and remains relevant.

The municipal authority has entered into a long-term lease with the property developer.

subject + entered into + noun phrase (simple past)

The simple past marks a specific historical or legal event, treating the commitment as a completed formal act.

The two nations entered into a bilateral trade agreement in 2018.

subject + will enter into + noun phrase

The future with 'will' describes a planned formal commitment, often in official announcements or legal forecasts.

The consortium will enter into negotiations with the government next quarter.

Common Collocations

enter into an agreemententer into a contractenter into negotiationsenter into a partnershipenter into a treatyenter into talks

Common Mistakes

Wrong preposition: 'enter in' or 'enter to'

By analogy with other verbs, learners sometimes write 'enter in an agreement' or 'enter to a contract', but neither is correct. Only 'enter into' is the accepted form.

✗ The parties entered in a formal settlement last week.
✓ The parties entered into a formal settlement last week.
Using the present continuous

Because 'enter into' describes a discrete, formal act of commitment rather than an ongoing process, the present continuous sounds unnatural. Use the simple past, present perfect, or future instead.

✗ The company is entering into the contract right now.
✓ The company is about to enter into the contract / has entered into the contract.
Confusing with 'engage in'

'Engage in' describes participation in an activity but does not imply any legal or binding obligation. Use 'enter into' specifically when the commitment is formal and contractually binding.

✗ The government engaged in a treaty with its neighbour.
✓ The government entered into a treaty with its neighbour.

Usage

This phrasal verb belongs to formal, legal, and business English; it is rarely used in everyday speech. It is equally common in British and American English legal and diplomatic writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'enter into' be used in the passive, like 'The contract was entered into by both parties'?

This construction is technically possible but almost never used in practice. Because the object follows the preposition 'into' rather than the verb directly, it cannot naturally become the subject of a passive sentence. In formal writing, the active voice is strongly preferred: 'Both parties entered into the contract'.

Does 'enter into' always mean signing a contract or agreement?

Not always — it can also mean beginning to engage with a topic or discussion, as in 'I won't enter into the details here.' However, that is a separate sense. The core meaning covered here is specifically about formally committing to a legally or officially binding instrument, such as a contract, treaty, partnership, or negotiation process.

What kinds of things can follow 'enter into'?

In this formal, legal sense, 'enter into' is almost always followed by nouns referring to binding instruments or formal processes: agreement, contract, treaty, negotiations, partnership, joint venture, talks, lease, settlement, or alliance are the most typical. Abstract or informal nouns do not collocate naturally with this sense.

Is it natural to say 'they entered into it' using a pronoun instead of the full noun?

Grammatically it is possible, but in practice it sounds too casual for the formal register that 'enter into' occupies. Legal and business writers almost always repeat the full noun phrase — 'entered into the agreement' rather than 'entered into it' — to maintain clarity and the appropriate tone.

What does 'enter into force' mean? Is it the same as 'enter into an agreement'?

'Enter into force' (also 'enter into effect') is a fixed legal expression meaning that a law or treaty becomes operative and legally binding. It is related in origin but describes the moment a document takes effect, not the act of a party committing to it. The two expressions should not be confused: a treaty 'enters into force' after the parties have 'entered into' it.

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