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

The Premier League club see the addition of the 18-year-old striker as a significant step in plans to step up the level of their academy recruitment. — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Ole Miss offers scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $20,000 for non-resident students based on a sliding scale of combined GPA and test scores, and its student population reflects the recruitment. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026

Every day a role stays open means lost productivity and revenue, lower team morale and ongoing recruitment costs. — Audrey Payne, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026

Pressure points and opportunities In general, the construction industry is desperate for more skilled workers, and has issues with recruitment and retention. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 14 Sep. 2026

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