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

But Everton’s new recruitment structure would also do well to note that Brentford agreed the deal for their hat-trick hero Igor Thiago, who tormented the Toffees on Sunday, at the end of the 2024 winter transfer window. —Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026

The United States is not at war, and the recruitment crisis in the volunteer military is no longer a thing. —Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 4 Jan. 2026

The largest local recruitment target, seeking up to 1,000 removal officers, is scheduled for the New Orleans field office. —Arkansas Online, 1 Jan. 2026

Before the Longhorns take on the Michigan Wolverines in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, Sarkisian discussed that aspect of recruitment, suggesting some of the agents are not even qualified to be negotiating deals that could be millions. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 30 Dec. 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