Enroll vs. Register: What's the Difference?
Edited by Huma Saeed || By Sawaira Riaz || Updated on October 2, 2023
"Enroll" implies committing to a class, program, or organization, while "register" typically means officially entering personal details on a list or database, often for identification or permission.
Key Differences
"Enroll" and "register" are terms often used interchangeably, but they have subtle differences in meaning and use. To "enroll" generally implies becoming a member of a class, a course, a school, or an organization, typically with an implication of commitment to participating in an activity or program. It conveys a sense of engagement or undertaking. Conversely, to "register" is to record one’s name and other details on an official list or database, often for identification or gaining permission; it is a broader term and does not necessarily imply a future commitment or engagement.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
While "enrolling" often involves an aspect of joining or participation, "registering" is often a prerequisite for participation. For example, one might register for a conference by providing personal details, and by doing so, they become enrolled as a participant. In this way, "register" is often a step in the process of "enrolling," signifying the act of signing up or booking, but without the implied continued participation or engagement inherent in "enroll."
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
"Enroll" is frequently used in educational contexts where commitment and participation are key, like enrolling in a university or a course. It implies a longer-term engagement and possibly adherence to rules and regulations of the institution or program. On the other hand, "register" can be used in various contexts such as registering a vehicle, a domain name, or for voting, focusing more on the act of officially listing or recording information, without an implied sustained engagement or adherence to a set of rules or norms.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
In terms of context specificity, "enroll" has a more specific usage, predominantly related to education or organizations, signifying commitment and participation. In contrast, "register" is more versatile and can be applied across different domains and fields, often implying just the act of recording information on an official list without any commitment to participation.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 02, 2023
The nuance between "enroll" and "register" can be subtle, and depending on the context, they may be used interchangeably. However, being aware of the nuances can help in utilizing the words more precisely, enabling clearer communication, especially in formal or academic settings.
Harlon Moss
Oct 02, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Implication
Committing to participation or membership.
Recording personal details on a list or database.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Usage Context
Education, organizations, courses.
Various, including events, domains, vehicles.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Commitment
Implies a level of commitment and participation.
Does not necessarily imply commitment.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Scope
More specific, implies ongoing engagement.
Broader, focused on the act of listing.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Precedence
Often follows the act of registering.
Often a prerequisite to enrolling.
Janet White
Oct 02, 2023
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Enroll and Register Definitions
Enroll
To register formally as a participant or member.
Many students enroll in college immediately after high school.
Janet White
Oct 02, 2023
Register
To make an impression or have a significant impact.
His comment didn’t register with the audience.
Harlon Moss
Oct 02, 2023
Enroll
To initiate or commence participation.
She chose to enroll in the new fitness program.
Sara Rehman
Oct 02, 2023
Register
To indicate or show a reading on a scale or dial.
The thermometer registered 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 02, 2023
Enroll
To commit to joining a group or organization.
He decided to enroll in the community volunteer group.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 02, 2023
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Enroll
To undertake a course of study or activity.
They chose to enroll in an advanced mathematics course.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Enroll
To sign up to become a member of an institution or a participant in a program.
I decided to enroll in a cooking class.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 02, 2023
Enroll
To enter or register in a roll, list, or record
Enrolled the child in kindergarten.
Enroll the minutes of the meeting.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
(Computers) A part of the central processing unit used as a storage location.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Enroll
To place one's name on a roll or register; sign up
We enrolled in the army.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
An adjustable, grill-like device through which heated or cooled air is released into a room.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Enroll
(transitive) To enlist (someone) or make (someone) a member of
They were eager to enroll new recruits.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
Exact alignment of the lines and margins on the opposite sides of a leaf.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Enroll
(intransitive) To enlist oneself (in something) or become a member (of something)
Have you enrolled in classes yet for this term?
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Enroll
To insert in a roil; to register or enter in a list or catalogue or on rolls of court; hence, to record; to insert in records; to leave in writing; as, to enroll men for service; to enroll a decree or a law; also, reflexively, to enlist.
An unwritten law of common right, so engraven in the hearts of our ancestors, and by them so constantly enjoyed and claimed, as that it needed not enrolling.
All the citizen capable of bearing arms enrolled themselves.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Enroll
Register formally as a participant or member;
The party recruited many new members
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
A variety or level of language used in a specific social setting
Speaking in an informal register.
Writing in a scientific register.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
To enroll officially or formally, especially in order to vote or attend classes.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
To set down in writing
Registered the events of the day in his diary.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
To express or make known
Registered his dissatisfaction with the chef.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
To be indicated as
The earthquake registered 6.8 on the Richter scale.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
To cause (mail) to be officially recorded and specially handled by payment of a fee.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
To have a list of gifts for preferred wedding presents, as at a store. Used of a couple.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
To be shown or expressed, as on the face
The teacher's reprimand did not register on the students' faces.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
To make an impression; be recorded in the mind
The warning failed to register.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
A formal recording of names, events, transactions, etc.
The teacher took the register by calling out each child's name.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
A certificate issued by the collector of customs of a port or district to the owner of a vessel, containing the description of a vessel, its name, ownership, and other material facts. It is kept on board the vessel, to be used as evidence of nationality or as a muniment of title.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
One who registers or records; a registrar; especially, a public officer charged with the duty of recording certain transactions or events.
A register of deeds
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
A distinct horizontal (or, more rarely, vertical) section of a work of art or inscription that is divided into several such sections.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
(telecommunications) The part of a telegraphic apparatus that automatically records the message received.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
(computing) A small unit of very fast memory that is directly accessible to the central processing unit, and is mostly used to store inputs, outputs, or intermediate results of computations.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
(linguistics) A style of a language used in a particular context.
My ex-boss used "let go", in the euphemistic register, when he sacked me.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
A grille at the outflow of a ventilation duct, capable of being opened and closed to direct the air flow.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
(ambitransitive) To buy the full version of trial software by providing one's details and payment.
This is a trial version, and will expire in 30 days. Please register!
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
(intransitive) To place one's name, or have one's name placed in a register.
They registered for school.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
(intransitive) To be in proper alignment; to align or correspond exactly.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
(legal) To voluntarily sign over for safe keeping, abandoning complete ownership for partial.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
A written account or entry; an official or formal enumeration, description, or record; a memorial record; a list or roll; a schedule.
As you have one eye upon my follies, . . . turn another into the register of your own.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
A record containing a list and description of the merchant vessels belonging to a port or customs district.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
One who registers or records; a registrar; a recorder; especially, a public officer charged with the duty of recording certain transactions or events; as, a register of deeds.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
A lid, stopper, or sliding plate, in a furnace, stove, etc., for regulating the admission of air to the fuel; also, an arrangement containing dampers or shutters, as in the floor or wall of a room or passage, or in a chimney, for admitting or excluding heated air, or for regulating ventilation.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
The compass of a voice or instrument; a specified portion of the compass of a voice, or a series of vocal tones of a given compass; as, the upper, middle, or lower register; the soprano register; the tenor register.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
To enter in a register; to record formally and distinctly, as for future use or service.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
To enroll; to enter in a list.
Such follow him as shall be registered.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
To enter the name of the owner of (a share of stock, a bond, or other security) in a register, or record book. A registered security is transferable only on the written assignment of the owner of record and on surrender of his bond, stock certificate, or the like.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
To correspond in relative position; as, two pages, columns, etc. , register when the corresponding parts fall in the same line, or when line falls exactly upon line in reverse pages, or (as in chromatic printing) where the various colors of the design are printed consecutively, and perfect adjustment of parts is necessary.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
(music) the timbre that is characteristic of a certain range and manner of production of the human voice or of different pipe organ stops or of different musical instruments
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
(computer science) memory device that is the part of computer memory that has a specific address and that is used to hold information of a specific kind
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
An air passage (usually in the floor or a wall of a room) for admitting or excluding heated air from the room
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
A regulator (as a sliding plate) for regulating the flow of air into a furnace or other heating device
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
A cashbox with an adding machine to register transactions; used in shops to add up the bill
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
Record in writing; enter into a book of names or events or transactions
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
Record in a public office or in a court of law;
File for divorce
File a complaint
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
Indicate a certain reading; of gauges and instruments;
The thermometer showed thirteen degrees below zero
The gauge read `empty'
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
Enter into someone's consciousness;
Did this event register in your parents' minds?
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 01, 2022
Register
To record or enroll officially.
I had to register for the conference online.
Janet White
Oct 02, 2023
Register
To enter or record on an official list or directory.
She went to the town hall to register her new vehicle.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Register
To sign up or apply formally.
He had to register his new domain name.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 02, 2023
FAQs
Can "enroll" and "register" be used interchangeably?
They can be in some contexts, but "enroll" often implies commitment and participation, while "register" focuses on listing details.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Is "enroll" primarily used in educational contexts?
Yes, it is commonly used to refer to joining schools, courses, or programs.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Does "enroll" always follow "register"?
Often, as registering is usually a step in the enrollment process, but context matters.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 02, 2023
Is "register" broader in scope?
Yes, it applies to various contexts like events, vehicles, voting, and more, not implying sustained engagement.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Can "register" imply commitment?
Not necessarily; it mainly involves recording details and does not imply future participation.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Can "register" be used in casual conversation?
Yes, it is versatile and can be used to discuss signing up or listing for various things informally.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Is "enroll" more formal than "register"?
Both are formal, but "enroll" is more specific, implying ongoing engagement and commitment.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Can businesses "enroll" in programs?
Yes, businesses can enroll in programs, signifying their commitment and participation.
Janet White
Oct 02, 2023
Does "register" always require providing personal details?
Typically, it involves recording some details, but the extent varies by context.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 02, 2023
Can you "enroll" in an event?
Yes, if it implies commitment to attending or participating in the event.
Sara Rehman
Oct 02, 2023
Can you "register" a complaint?
Yes, registering a complaint means officially recording it.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Is "enroll" related to membership?
Yes, it often implies becoming a member with a level of commitment.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Does "enroll" imply acceptance?
Typically, yes, as enrolling often means being accepted into a program or institution.
Harlon Moss
Oct 02, 2023
Can "register" refer to measuring and displaying?
Yes, as in a device registering a certain reading or measurement.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Is "register" versatile in usage?
Absolutely, it can be used in various contexts with different implications.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
About Author
Written by
Sawaira RiazSawaira is a dedicated content editor at difference.wiki, where she meticulously refines articles to ensure clarity and accuracy. With a keen eye for detail, she upholds the site's commitment to delivering insightful and precise content.
Edited by
Huma SaeedHuma is a renowned researcher acclaimed for her innovative work in Difference Wiki. Her dedication has led to key breakthroughs, establishing her prominence in academia. Her contributions continually inspire and guide her field.
