What does "enfold" mean?

To envelop and wrap up something.

What is a synonym for "enfold"?

Common synonyms include: envelop, belap, bosom, box, case, clasp.

Enfold

Q: How do you use "enfold" in a sentence?

In words, like weeds, I’ll wrap me o’er, Like coarsest clothes against the cold: But that large grief which these enfold Is given in outline and no more.

verb

verb ·2 syllables ·Moderate ·College level

Definitions

Verb

1
To envelop and wrap up something. transitive
"In words, like weeds, I’ll wrap me o’er, ⁠Like coarsest clothes against the cold: ⁠But that large grief which these enfold Is given in outline and no more."
2
enclose or enfold completely with or as if with a covering wordnet
3
To clasp with the arms; embrace. transitive
"Prais’d be the fathomless universe, / For life and joy, and for objects and knowledge curious, / And for love, sweet love—but praise! praise! praise! / For the sure-enwinding arms of cool-enfolding death."

Synonyms

All synonyms

envelop belap bosom box case clasp

Example

More examples

"In words, like weeds, I’ll wrap me o’er, ⁠Like coarsest clothes against the cold: ⁠But that large grief which these enfold Is given in outline and no more."

Etymology

Alteration of earlier infold, from Middle English infolden, equivalent to en- + fold.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.