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

In August, the couple announced their engagement. —Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 14 Nov. 2025

TikTok for Business and Google are keynote speakers at Crisp’s the Future Is Vertical conference in Seoul, signaling growing platform engagement with microdrama producers and the potential for distribution scale that could bypass standalone apps entirely. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Nov. 2025

And when not walking, limit TV time in favor of engagement on the computer, or with a crossword puzzle, etc. —Bryant Stamford, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Nov. 2025

Such an understanding goes along with an understanding of the psychology of employee engagement and trust. —Matt Emma, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025

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