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

Since then, the agency has reported record recruitment figures, surpassing its fiscal 2025 goal by hiring just over 2,000 new controllers. —Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 8 Nov. 2025

Cherry recalled his calls with Bibby during his recruitment following his UNLV stint. —Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 8 Nov. 2025

Some police officials have said the perception of police following the murder of George Floyd in 2020 is a factor in recruitment difficulties. —Charlotte Observer, 7 Nov. 2025

Pureval, meanwhile, countered those claims, saying city leaders had taken numerous steps to combat crime, including implementing a curfew and investing in the recruitment of more police officers. —Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025

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