recruitment

noun

re·​cruit·​ment ri-ˈkrüt-mənt 

1

: the action or process of recruiting

2

: the process of adding new individuals to a population or subpopulation (as of breeding or legally catchable individuals) by growth, reproduction, immigration, and stocking

also : a measure (as in numbers or biomass) of recruitment

Examples of recruitment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Within hours of Bell’s selection earlier this week, conservative higher-education activists began circulating opposition research on social media highlighting Alabama’s diversity recruitment efforts, antiracism initiatives and campus inclusion programs under Bell’s leadership. —Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 22 May 2026

The broadcaster’s legacy came up during Blank’s recruitment, which occurred shortly after Vin’s death. —Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 20 May 2026

The team found that places that once received more assistance tended to experience more conflict once that aid abruptly disappeared, often because those who had relied on that aid had become more vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups. —Ari Daniel, NPR, 19 May 2026

Moscow’s recruitment is unable to keep up with losses. —Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 19 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1793, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

recruitment

noun

re·​cruit·​ment ri-ˈkrüt-mənt 

1

: the increase in intensity of a reflex when the initiating stimulus is prolonged without alteration of intensity due to the activation of increasing numbers of motor neurons compare reinforcement

2

: an abnormally rapid increase in the sensation of loudness with increasing sound intensity that occurs in deafness of neural origin and especially in neural deafness of the aged in which soft sounds may be completely inaudible while louder sounds are distressingly loud