employ

verb em·ploy \ im-ˈplȯi , em- \

|Updated on: 12 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: employ in a Sentence

Definition of employ

employed; employing; employs

transitive verb

1 a : to make use of (someone or something inactive)

employ a pen for sketching

b : to use (something, such as time) advantageously

a job that employed her skills

c (1) : to use or engage the services of

(2) : to provide with a job that pays wages or a salary

2 : to devote to or direct toward a particular activity or person

employed all her energies to help the poor

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employer

noun

See employ defined for English-language learners

See employ defined for kids

Examples of employ in a Sentence

The company is accused of employing questionable methods to obtain the contract.
You should find better ways to employ your time.
I had to employ a lawyer to review the contract.
It's a small company, employing a staff of only 20.

Recent Examples of employ from the Web

Located near North Sunrise Avenue and East Roseville Parkway, Sutter Roseville employs 2,477 workers and has 704 physicians practicing there.

— cathie anderson, sacbee, "Sutter Roseville Medical Center gets a new CEO for the first time in seven years," 12 July 2018
To avoid such losses, Elouard and Jordan employ a final key ingredient: less informative measurements.

— adrian cho, Science | AAAS, "Quantum measurements could power a tiny, hyper-efficient engine," 10 July 2018
Airbus alone employs some 14,000 workers in Britain.

— jill lawless, The Christian Science Monitor, "Theresa May tries to unite fractious ministers on Brexit trade plan," 6 July 2018
The family doctor, David Hosack, employed an unorthodox treatment of hot baths of Peruvian bark and alcohol and saved the boy's life.

— andrea gawrylewski, Scientific American, "The True Point of Searching for Alien Life; the Misuse of Genetics and Other New Science Books," 3 July 2018
The home employs passive solar technology to collect and distribute energy throughout the year, while an abundance of glass windows provide views of the surrounding landscape.

— alex bazeley, Curbed, "This midcentury modern-inspired cabin offers a cozy getaway," 29 June 2018
Alkermes employs two lobbyists who previously worked for key committee members.

— lev facher, STAT, "As opioids legislation gains steam, efforts to address crisis collide with moneyed interests," 7 June 2018
Going forward, the pseudonym was primarily employed when a director felt a studio had usurped his or her creative vision and ruined their film, in which case the DGA would grant permission to credit Smithee instead.

— thomas harlander, Los Angeles Magazine, "What Ever Happened to Alan Smithee, Hollywood’s Worst Director?," 4 June 2018
On the flipside, Volvo and General Motors do employ eye-tracking in their partially automated driving systems to make ensure drivers are paying attention while using driverless technology.

— chuck tannert, Popular Mechanics, "Dumb Drivers, Smart Cars: How We Prevent the Next ‘Semi-Autonomous’ Car Crash," 2 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'employ.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of employ

Middle English emploien, from Anglo-French empleier, emploier, emplier to entangle, apply, make use of, from Latin implicare to enfold, involve, from in- + plicare to fold — more at ply

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

employ Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of employ

use, employ, utilize mean to put into service especially to attain an end. use implies availing oneself of something as a means or instrument to an end.

- willing to use any means to achieve her ends

employ suggests the use of a person or thing that is available but idle, inactive, or disengaged.

- looking for better ways to employ their skills

utilize may suggest the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something.

- an old wooden bucket utilized as a planter

Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

employ

noun em·ploy \ im-ˈplȯi , ˈim-ˌplȯi , ˈem-ˌplȯi \

Definition of employ

1 a : use, purpose

b : occupation, job

2 : the state of being employed

in the city's employ

See employ defined for English-language learners

Examples of employ in a Sentence

while you're under our employ, you can't do outside work for our competitors

Recent Examples of employ from the Web

The cruise industry gets knocked around for the long hours and often hectic conditions of the people in its employ.

— michael ian black, New York Times, "Cruises Are So Uncool They Are Cool," 3 July 2018
Beyond the broadcasters’ exit poll team of Curtice and Fisher, several other leading U.K. academics also worked for hedge funds—either directly or for the pollsters in their employ.

— cam simpson, Bloomberg.com, "Brexit’s Big Short: How Pollsters Helped Hedge Funds Beat the Crash," 25 June 2018
Kawhi Leonard awoke Friday still under the employ of the Spurs, despite rumblings leading to Thursday’s draft the team might be compelled to deal its disillusioned superstar.

— jeff mcdonald, San Antonio Express-News, "Spurs aim to hang onto Leonard — for now," 22 June 2018
Her whole employ was saying and doing outrageous things to get attention.

— lisa gutierrez, kansascity, ""A teaching moment.' Valerie Jarrett and others respond to 'Roseanne' controversy," 29 May 2018
Among the people Moe and Polly Wiesen probably knew in those days were the Feinsteins, another prominent family in the garment industry, who had a domestic in their employ named Mary Ann Moroney.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer long wondered if he's related to JFK; at 72, he learned the truth," 12 May 2018
But, there are many stupider things written by even smarter people who continue to keep their employs.

— chris stirewalt, Fox News, "The Supremacy of the Internet Mob," 19 Apr. 2018
Co-founder Mary Ann McCready had watched during her employ at CBS Records in the 1980s as numerous acts racked up huge paychecks, saved little and kept overspending even after their commercial peak years ended.

— tom roland, Billboard, "Flood, Bumstead And the Country Artist's Conflict: Seeking Wealth While Singing About Poverty," 3 Apr. 2018
Trouble is, the therapist is under the employ of a hospital that has a vested interest in admitting patients for 72-hour holds and draining insurance money from them.

— richard lawson, HWD, "Claire Foy Gives a Star Turn in Harrowing Unsane," 23 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of employ

1679

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

employ Synonyms

Synonyms

employment, engagement, hire;

Antonyms

joblessness, nonemployment, unemployment;

Near Antonyms

boot, discharge, dismissal, firing, removal, sack, severance;

demotion, suspension;

furlough, layoff, leave, liberty, retirement;

incumbency, tenure;

occupation, place, position, post, situation, work;

Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

EMPLOY Defined for English Language Learners

employ

verb

Definition of employ for English Language Learners

: to use (something) for a particular purpose or to do something
: to use or direct (something, such as your time or effort) in order to achieve a particular goal
: to use or get the services of (someone) to do a particular job