engagement

noun

en·​gage·​ment in-ˈgāj-mənt 

en-

1

a

: an arrangement to meet or be present at a specified time and place

a dinner engagement

b

: a job or period of employment especially as a performer

2

: something that engages : pledge

3

a

: the act of engaging : the state of being engaged

b

: emotional involvement or commitment

… seesaws between obsessive engagement and ambiguous detachment.

—Gary Taylor

c

: betrothal

4

: the state of being in gear

5

: a hostile encounter between military forces

Synonyms of engagement

• betrothal

Examples of engagement in a Sentence

The couple recently announced their engagement.

She surprised everyone by breaking off her yearlong engagement.

We have a dinner engagement this weekend.

She's been offered several speaking engagements.

his lifelong engagement with politics

a lack of emotional engagement

Recent Examples on the Web

That formula feels even more relevant today, and what makes the T especially compelling is that its emphasis on driver engagement does not come at the cost of day-to-day livability. — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026

In particular, he was asked about Netflix’s slower growth (2% year-over-year growth in user engagement during the first half in 2026). — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Netflix has lost more than 40% of its value since June 2025 amid concerns about engagement trends and a lack of breakout hits. — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026

Companies often treat political engagement as a choice between taking a position and staying out of the issue, but choosing not to participate doesn’t guarantee the company will be left out of the debate. — Amanda Simonian, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1617, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Phrases Containing engagement

• re-engagement

Rhymes for engagement

• disengagement

Kids Definition

engagement

noun

en·​gage·​ment in-ˈgāj-mənt 

1

a

: a promise to be present at a specified place and time

b

: employment especially for a stated time

the band had engagements in different towns

2

: pledge entry 1 sense 5, obligation

3

a

: the act of engaging : the state of being engaged

b

: an agreement to marry

also : the period during which one is pledged to be married

4

: the state of being meshed into a working arrangement in which one part drives another

5

: the state of being in conflict, opposition, or battle

Medical Definition

engagement

noun

en·​gage·​ment in-ˈgāj-mənt 

: the phase of childbirth in which the fetal head passes into the cavity of the true pelvis