The words envelop and envelope originated from the French word envoluper, which may be the reason some people get confused aside from their similar appearance. Despite these similarities, they have different pronunciations, meanings, and uses. This post will help you identify these differences and enable you to use these terms correctly in your writing.
The word envelop is used as a verb which means “to wrap up, cover, or surround completely” or “to put a covering completely around.” Its forms include envelops (present), enveloped (past / participle), and enveloping (progressive).
Brutal and ‘bone-chilling’ cold envelops US east coast two days after storm
The GuardianHazy and foggy weather envelop most parts of UAE
Gulf NewsJulian Edelman also saw Rob Gronkowski’s enveloping sideline hug of Danny Amendola
Boston Globe
On the other hand, the term envelope functions as a noun that most commonly refers to “a flat paper container with a sealable flap, used to enclose a letter or document.”
Charities continue to use stamps on reply envelopes to encourage donations
Linn’s Stamp NewsJimmy Kimmel’s new Oscar promo is all about last year’s envelope drama, and LOL
Hello Giggles3 hospitalized after state trooper opens envelope containing suspicious substance
Penn Live
Additionally, there is the idiom “push the envelope,” which means “to go beyond the usual or normal limits by doing something new, dangerous, etc.”
CFPB Chief Mulvaney Says Days of ‘Pushing the Envelope’ Are Over
BloombergHow Producer Blake Mills Coaxes Musicians Into Pushing the Envelope
New York TimesJewish General Hospital pushes envelope in robotic surgery
Montreal Gazette
Now that we’ve distinguished the differences between envelop and envelope in terms of use and meaning, you should be able to use them properly in your sentences. Remember that envelop is a verb that pertains to wrapping or surrounding while envelope is the container for letters.
