Enter vs. Input — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 28, 2024
Entering involves the act of insertion or entry, often in a general context, whereas input specifically refers to data or information provided to a system.
Difference Between Enter and Input
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Entering can refer to a wide range of actions, from physically entering a room to inserting data into a form. Input, on the other hand, is more narrowly defined as the act of providing data or information to a system or process, often implying a technological or computational context.
While "enter" is a versatile term that can be applied in various contexts, including data entry, "input" is primarily used in contexts involving computers, devices, or systems receiving data. Input implies an interaction where information is fed into a system for processing, analysis, or storage.
Entering might not always involve technology or systems; it can also refer to the action of participating or engaging in an event or activity. Input, however, is inherently linked to the concept of data or information being provided or transferred to a system for a specific purpose.
The act of entering can be physical, such as walking into a building, or symbolic, like entering into an agreement. Conversely, input is predominantly non-physical, focusing on the submission or provision of data to a system or process.
While entering can be a one-time action, such as entering a room, input often implies a process or ongoing action, especially in the context of updating or feeding information into a system or database. This distinction highlights the dynamic nature of input in technological and computational environments.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
To go into a place or insert information into a field; broader in application.
To provide data or information to a system; more specific to data provision.
Contexts
General, including physical and symbolic actions.
Technological or computational, specifically regarding data.
Nature
Can be physical or symbolic.
Predominantly non-physical, related to data or information.
Usage
Broad, applicable in various contexts.
Narrow, mainly in contexts involving data processing or systems.
Implication
Entry or participation.
Providing or transferring data for processing or analysis.
Compare with Definitions
Enter
Symbolic Entry.
By signing the contract, they entered into a formal agreement.
Input
Information Transfer.
Input from stakeholders is crucial for the project's success.
Enter
Data Entry.
Please enter your password to access your account.
Input
System Interaction.
The system requires user input to proceed with the operation.
Enter
General Action.
He entered the room quietly, not wanting to disturb the meeting.
Input
Process Part.
Accurate input ensures the integrity of the database.
Enter
Physical Movement.
The new law will enter into effect next month.
Input
Feedback Provision.
Customer input helps improve our services.
Enter
Participation.
She decided to enter the competition, feeling confident in her abilities.
Input
Data Provision.
Input your date of birth to verify your age.
Enter
To come or go into
The train entered the tunnel.
Input
What is put in, taken in, or operated on by any process or system
There is little input from other members of the team
Data input
Enter
To penetrate; pierce
The bullet entered the victim's skull.
Input
A place where, or a device through which, energy or information enters a system
The signal being fed through the main input
Enter
To introduce; insert
She entered the probe into the patient's artery.
Input
Put (data) into a computer
Test results can be inputted by the technician in the laboratory
Enter
To become a participant, member, or part of; join
Too old to enter the army.
Entered the discussion at a crucial moment.
Input
Energy, work, or power used to drive a machine.
Enter
To gain admission to (a school, for example).
Input
Current, electromotive force, or power supplied to an electric circuit, network, or device.
Enter
To cause to become a participant, member, or part of; enroll
Entered the children in private school.
Entered dahlias in a flower show.
Input
Information put into a communications system for transmission or into a computer system for processing.
Enter
To embark on; begin
With Sputnik, the Soviet Union entered the space age.
Input
Any of the items, including materials, equipment, and funds, required for production.
Enter
To make a beginning in; take up
Entered medicine.
Input
The act of putting in; infusion
A steady input of fuel.
Enter
To write or put in
Entered our names in the guest book.
Enters the data into the computer.
Input
An amount put in.
Enter
To place formally on record; submit
Enter a plea of not guilty.
Enter a complaint.
Input
Contribution of information or a comment or viewpoint
A discussion with input from all members of the group.
Enter
To go to or occupy in order to claim possession of (land).
Input
To enter (data or a program) into a computer.
Enter
To report (a ship or cargo) to customs.
Input
The act or process of putting in; infusion.
Enter
To come or go in; make an entry
As the president entered, the band played "Hail to the Chief.".
Input
That which is put in, as in an amount.
Enter
To effect penetration.
Input
Contribution of work or information, as an opinion or advice.
You can provide input via this form.
Enter
To become a member or participant.
Input
Data fed into a process with the intention of it shaping or affecting the output of that process.
Sound input
Enter
A key on a keyboard or keypad used to enter or confirm a command or other textual input.
Input
(electronics) An input jack.
Model with A/V input
Enter
(intransitive) To go or come into an enclosed or partially enclosed space.
You should knock before you enter, unless you want to see me naked.
Input
(transitive) To put in; put on.
Enter
(transitive) To cause to go (into), or to be received (into); to put in; to insert; to cause to be admitted.
To enter a knife into a piece of wood;
To enter a boy at college, a horse for a race, etc.
Input
(transitive) To enter data.
The user inputs his date of birth and the computer displays his age.
Enter
(figuratively) To go or come into (a state or profession).
My twelve-year-old son will be entering his teens next year.
She had planned to enter the legal profession.
Input
(transitive) To accept data that is entered.
Enter
(transitive) To type (something) into a computer; to input.
Enter your user name and password.
Input
Signal going into an electronic system
Enter
(transitive) To record (something) in an account, ledger, etc.
Input
Any stimulating information or event; acts to arouse action
Enter
To become a party to an agreement, treaty, etc.
Input
Enter (data or a program) into a computer
Enter
To become effective; to come into effect.
Enter
(legal) To go into or upon, as lands, and take actual possession of them.
Enter
To place in regular form before the court, usually in writing; to put upon record in proper from and order
To enter a writ, appearance, rule, or judgment
Enter
To make report of (a vessel or its cargo) at the custom house; to submit a statement of (imported goods), with the original invoices, to the proper customs officer for estimating the duties. See entry.
Enter
To file, or register with the land office, the required particulars concerning (a quantity of public land) in order to entitle a person to a right of preemption.
Enter
To deposit for copyright the title or description of (a book, picture, map, etc.).
Entered according to act of Congress
Enter
To initiate; to introduce favourably.
Enter
(computing) Enter
Enter
(computing) Enter
Enter
To come or go into; to pass into the interior of; to pass within the outer cover or shell of; to penetrate; to pierce; as, to enter a house, a closet, a country, a door, etc.; the river enters the sea.
That darksome cave they enter.
I, . . . with the multitude of my redeemed,Shall enter heaven, long absent.
Enter
To unite in; to join; to be admitted to; to become a member of; as, to enter an association, a college, an army.
Enter
To engage in; to become occupied with; as, to enter the legal profession, the book trade, etc.
Enter
To pass within the limits of; to attain; to begin; to commence upon; as, to enter one's teens, a new era, a new dispensation.
Enter
To cause to go (into), or to be received (into); to put in; to insert; to cause to be admitted; as, to enter a knife into a piece of wood, a wedge into a log; to enter a boy at college, a horse for a race, etc.
Enter
To inscribe; to enroll; to record; as, to enter a name, or a date, in a book, or a book in a catalogue; to enter the particulars of a sale in an account, a manifest of a ship or of merchandise at the customhouse.
Enter
To go into or upon, as lands, and take actual possession of them.
Enter
To make report of (a vessel or her cargo) at the customhouse; to submit a statement of (imported goods), with the original invoices, to the proper officer of the customs for estimating the duties. See Entry, 4.
Enter
To file or inscribe upon the records of the land office the required particulars concerning (a quantity of public land) in order to entitle a person to a right pf preëmption.
Enter
To deposit for copyright the title or description of (a book, picture, map, etc.); as, "entered according to act of Congress."
Enter
To initiate; to introduce favorably.
Enter
To go or come in; - often with in used pleonastically; also, to begin; to take the first steps.
No evil thing approach nor enter in.
Truth is fallen in the street, and equity can not enter.
For we which have believed do enter into rest.
Enter
To get admission; to introduce one's self; to penetrate; to form or constitute a part; to become a partaker or participant; to share; to engage; - usually with into; sometimes with on or upon; as, a ball enters into the body; water enters into a ship; he enters into the plan; to enter into a quarrel; a merchant enters into partnership with some one; to enter upon another's land; the boy enters on his tenth year; to enter upon a task; lead enters into the composition of pewter.
Enter
To penetrate mentally; to consider attentively; - with into.
He is particularly pleased with . . . Sallust for his entering into internal principles of action.
Enter
To come or go into;
The boat entered an area of shallow marshes
Enter
Become a participant; be involved in;
Enter a race
Enter an agreement
Enter a drug treatment program
Enter negotiations
Enter
Register formally as a participant or member;
The party recruited many new members
Enter
Be or play a part of or in;
Elections figure prominently in every government program
How do the elections figure in the current pattern of internal politics?
Enter
Make a record of; set down in permanent form
Enter
Come on stage
Enter
Put or introduce into something;
Insert a picture into the text
Enter
Take on duties or office;
Accede to the throne
Enter
Set out on (an enterprise, subject of study, etc.);
She embarked upon a new career
Common Curiosities
What is the difference between entering data and inputting data?
Both refer to providing data, but "inputting" specifically implies providing data to a system or process, often with a technological context.
Why is "enter" used in computer programming?
In programming, "enter" often relates to the act of inserting or inputting data, aligning with its broader definition of insertion or initiation.
What examples illustrate "enter" not being interchangeable with "input"?
"Entering a building" or "entering an agreement" cannot be replaced with "input" because they do not involve data provision to a system.
How does "input" relate to feedback?
"Input" can also refer to feedback or insights provided, especially in contexts where such information is used to inform decisions or improvements.
What does it mean to "enter into" something?
"Enter into" can mean to start or engage in something, like an agreement or conversation, showcasing "enter's" symbolic usage.
Can physical actions be considered "input"?
Generally, physical actions are not described as "input" unless they directly relate to data provision or interaction with a system, like pressing a button.
What is the significance of "input" in decision-making?
"Input" is crucial in decision-making processes, as it refers to the information and perspectives considered in making informed choices.
How do "enter" and "input" differ in user interfaces?
In user interfaces, "enter" might refer to the act of typing or selecting options, whereas "input" focuses on the data being provided to the interface for processing.
Can "enter" and "input" be used interchangeably?
In the context of data provision, they often can, but "input" is more specific to data and systems, while "enter" has broader uses.
Is "input" only used in technological contexts?
Mostly, yes. "Input" typically refers to data or information provided to technological systems or processes.
How does "input" enhance system operations?
"Input" provides the necessary data for system operations, affecting processing, outcomes, and functionalities.
Can "enter" imply a beginning?
Yes, "enter" can signify the start of something, such as entering a new phase or era, illustrating its symbolic application.
Why is "input" important in collaborative environments?
"Input" from various stakeholders ensures diverse perspectives and information are considered, enhancing collaboration and outcomes.
Is "entering" a competition the same as "inputting" into a competition?
"Entering" a competition is more common usage, focusing on the act of participation, whereas "inputting" is not typically used in this context.
How do "enter" and "input" reflect action orientation?
"Enter" can be both action-oriented and symbolic, reflecting physical and conceptual entries, while "input" is action-oriented towards data provision and interaction with systems.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
