engineering

noun

en·​gi·​neer·​ing ˌen-jə-ˈnir-iŋ How to pronounce engineering (audio)
Synonyms of engineeringnext
1
: the activities or function of an engineer
2
a
: the application of science and mathematics by which the properties of matter and the sources of energy in nature are made useful to people
b
: the design and manufacture of complex products
software engineering
3
: calculated manipulation or direction (as of behavior)
social engineering
compare genetic engineering

Examples of engineering in a Sentence

This control panel is a good example of smart engineering.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Kaley’s lawyers plan to call the platform’s vice president of engineering, Cristos Goodrow, for testimony Monday. Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 22 Feb. 2026 Nor were they built to handle the increasing intensity of rainfall rates driven by the warming climate that puts additional strain on systems, said Olson and Christine Kirchhoff, an engineer, associate professor and associate director of law, policy and engineering at Penn State. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 22 Feb. 2026 As an Offshore Energy report explains, the agreement included the installation, offshore operations, maintenance, and project engineering for the subsea trencher. Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 21 Feb. 2026 Laura Bartlett, an associate professor of metallurgical engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology, says the primary failure could be as simple as an undersize part or a weak joint. Eric Sullivan, Scientific American, 21 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for engineering

Word History

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of engineering was in 1697

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Cite this Entry

“Engineering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/engineering. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

engineering

noun
en·​gi·​neer·​ing ˌen-jə-ˈni(ə)r-iŋ How to pronounce engineering (audio)
: the science or profession of developing and using nature's power and resources in ways that are useful to people (as in designing and building roads, bridges, dams, or machines and in creating new products)
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