recruits; recruited; recruiting
1
a
: to find suitable people and get them to join a company, an organization, the armed forces, etc.
He was recruited by the army after high school.
Public schools are recruiting new teachers.
College football coaches spend a lot of time recruiting high school athletes.
College football coaches spend a lot of time recruiting.
Some parents don't think the military should be recruiting from high schools.
b
: to form or build (a group, team, army, etc.) by getting people to join
We recruited a crew of volunteers to help us.
recruit a regiment
recruit an army
2
: to persuade (someone) to join you in some activity or to help you
I recruited my brother to drive us to the concert.
She recruited four friends to distribute food to the homeless with her.
plural recruits
1
: a person who has recently joined the armed forces
army recruits
2
: a person who has recently joined a company, organization, etc.
the newest recruit on the team
She's one of the department's new recruits.
Cite this Entry
“Recruit.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/recruit. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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