1
as in to interest
to hold the attention of
the challenging jigsaw puzzle engaged us all evening
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to commit
to obligate by prior agreement
we can't go to the dance because we're already engaged to attend a piano recital
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to employ
to provide with a paying job
the wealthy couple are looking to engage a handyman to take care of the estate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to hire
to take or get the temporary use of (something) for a set sum
my sister and her boyfriend have engaged a chauffeured limousine for the prom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of engage
Andersen said that while the agency is continuing to focus on cyberthreats, what has been scaled back or paused is the work to reduce systemic risk over time, make proactive assessments, coordinate planning, engage partners and strategic initiatives.
—
Suzanne Gamboa, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
Hallgren says his team is planning a new study to examine the real-world effects of replacing passive sitting with engaging mental or physical activities on dementia symptoms.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Writers from across the world come together with audiences who are curious, questioning and engaged.
—Julie Finch, Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
The pair ended the show engaged but broke up in October 2021.
—Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for engage
Suzanne Gamboa, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
Hallgren says his team is planning a new study to examine the real-world effects of replacing passive sitting with engaging mental or physical activities on dementia symptoms.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Writers from across the world come together with audiences who are curious, questioning and engaged.
—Julie Finch, Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
The pair ended the show engaged but broke up in October 2021.
—Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for engage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for engage
Verb
-
But this Central American country – a narrow isthmus stretching for 500 miles between Costa Rica (to the west) and Colombia (to the east) – offers far more to interest the curious traveller, said David Amsden in Condé Nast Traveller.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
29 Mar. 2026
-
If pepperoni doesn't interest some customers, King said Columbus-style goes beyond traditional toppings with more experimental options.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Administration’s treatment of immigration officers as a vulnerable group rests on claims that agents now face unprecedented threats.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
-
This time, however, travelers are already facing long lines and delays due to the ongoing partial government shutdown, which has left thousands of TSA workers without pay.—
De'Anthony Taylor,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Samantha Harpster, Del Norte A UC Santa Barbara commit, the junior center back scored five goals and had four assists in leading the Nighthawks to a 16-4-4 record and the San Diego Section Division 2 championship.—
John Maffei,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Dotter estimates 25 to 45 defendants a year would be civilly committed if the bill passes.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Chalker told me that his consulting firm, Global Risk Advisors, had once employed nearly two hundred people, almost all of them former military and intelligence officers.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
His poems employ numbers significant to Dine (Navajo) thought and ways of life.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In 1958, Golestan, having just opened his own studio, hired Farrokhzad, who was already well known for boldly candid love poetry, as an assistant.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Court documents show the suspects allegedly lured a private driver, who was hired by Arnold, and his two associates to an apartment in Tampa.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But all of the 222 guest rooms, which occupy the 23rd through the 30th floors of the towers, offer stellar, unimpeded sight lines.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The property occupies a lot of 12,376 square feet.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Within eight minutes, the New Kensington fire department arrived and was met with heavy flames at the back of the house.—
Jessica Riley,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The teams meet for the third time this season.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Chalker was asked to come up with a plan to recruit other scientists, and began by reading old cable traffic about how the agency had handled Soviet defectors in the John le Carré days.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Last season, the Horned Frogs emphatically arrived with Campbell’s familiar ability to recruit and push the tempo and play fierce defense, to the tune of a 34-4 record and a trip to the Elite Eight.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Engage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/engage. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
