Meaning & use
enwrap
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Meanings
verbtransitiveliterary
to cover something or someone completely by folding or winding material closely around them.
Grammar: Takes an object: she enwrapped the child in a shawl.
Patterns
- enwrap something in something
- enwrap someone with something
The old woman enwrapped the loaf in a clean linen cloth before putting it in the basket.
Thick scarves enwrapped the travelers' necks against the wind.
He enwrapped the fragile vase in layers of newspaper.
verbtransitiveliteraryfigurative
to surround or hold someone so fully, in a feeling or atmosphere, that they cannot think of anything else.
Grammar: Usually passive or with a feeling as the subject: he was enwrapped in sorrow.
Patterns
- be enwrapped in something
- something enwraps someone
The village was enwrapped in a silence that felt almost holy.
She sat enwrapped in thought while the train rattled on.
A soft mist enwrapped the hills at dawn.
Word forms
| third person singular | enwraps |
|---|---|
| past tense | enwrapped |
| past participle | enwrapped |
| -ing form | enwrapping |
Common combinations
- enwrapped in darkness
- The valley lay enwrapped in darkness long before the town lights came on.
- enwrapped in silence
- The library was enwrapped in silence during the exam.
- enwrapped in thought
- He walked home enwrapped in thought and missed his own street.
- enwrap a gift
- She enwrapped the gift in silver paper and tied it with ribbon.
- enwrap tightly
- The nurse enwrapped the baby tightly in a warm blanket.
Synonyms and how they differ
- wrap
- Wrap is the ordinary everyday word, while enwrap sounds poetic and is rarely heard in conversation.
- envelop
- Envelop suggests surrounding something on all sides, often with fog, smoke or a feeling, whereas enwrap stresses a close covering by cloth or similar material.
- swathe
- Swathe usually means binding something in long strips, such as bandages, and is narrower in use than enwrap.
- shroud
- Shroud adds a sense of hiding or mystery, so it fits fog or secrecy better than a simple blanket.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: enwrap or envelop?
enwrap vs envelop
Envelop is the verb for surrounding completely and is pronounced with stress on the second syllable. The noun envelope, a paper holder for a letter, is a different word.
Practice
Which word best completes the sentence in a poetic style? 'The harbor lay ___ in a pale sea mist.'
Choose one answer.
Enwrapped means covered completely, which fits mist surrounding a harbor. Unwrapped means the opposite, and enrolled and entrusted have unrelated meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “enwrap”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.