employ 1 of 2

employ

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb employ contrast with its synonyms?

The words use and utilize are common synonyms of employ. While all three words mean "to put into service especially to attain an end," employ suggests the use of a person or thing that is available but idle, inactive, or disengaged.

looking for better ways to employ their skills

Where would use be a reasonable alternative to employ?

Although the words use and employ have much in common, use implies availing oneself of something as a means or instrument to an end.

willing to use any means to achieve her ends

When is it sensible to use utilize instead of employ?

While the synonyms utilize and employ are close in meaning, utilize may suggest the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something.

an old wooden bucket utilized as a planter

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 employ
Verb
Mexican drug cartels have long employed sophisticated technical means to track law enforcement officials and conceal their own internal activities. ArsTechnica, 30 June 2025 Advertisement Most working-age adults on Medicaid are employed, or have a disability or caregiving responsibilities, according to KFF. Solcyré Burga, Time, 30 June 2025
Noun
What kinds of metrics does a good AI literacy program employ? Ben Jones, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025 That the 2025 Red Sox had someone in their employ who did not know Hall of Famer Jim Rice once labored for the Local Nine remains an affront to history. Bill Speros, Boston Herald, 23 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for employ
Recent Examples of Synonyms for employ
Verb
  • Vaughn Hillyard will join MSNBC as senior White House correspondent, as the network has hired a group of journalists for its team in advance of its split from Comcast and sister network NBC News.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 1 July 2025
  • Since incorporating in October, Union has hired a suite of engineers from Tesla, SpaceX and Anduril.
    David Jeans, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Athit Perawongmetha | Reuters China is devising more ways for foreign institutions to use the yuan, as international confidence in the U.S. dollar falters.
    Lee Ying Shan,Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 25 June 2025
  • Testers reported the sterilizer works well and that using it is a breeze.
    Olivia Campbell, Parents, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • Tariffs could help reduce that slowdown and bring more advanced production back stateside, but improving productivity might happen without increasing employment.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 June 2025
  • In the past, foundational technology shifts have led to greater employment as new sectors and businesses were born.
    MoneyShow, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Brad Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, a once-promising driver who is recruited to help his friend and former driver, Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), who is in danger of being ousted by the board of his racing team.
    Maureen Lee Lenker Published, EW.com, 26 June 2025
  • The researchers recruited 34 adults who’d had chronic, nonspecific LBP for more than three months and randomly divided them into two groups.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Furthermore, innovative platforms like Starbucks Odyssey utilize NFTs as a loyalty mechanism, providing unique digital collectibles that unlock exclusive real-world experiences.
    Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
  • California, unlike other states, utilizes a jobs ratio ranking that accounts for wages to below-the-line workers to select productions that will receive tax credits.
    Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Freyer was the inaugural CEO of Champions of Change Coalition, which engages leaders in accelerating progress on gender equality.
    Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 1 July 2025
  • Lipa and Turner recently got engaged, the singer confirmed in an interview with British Vogue published June 12, after fans noticed Lipa wearing a diamond ring on her left ring finger in a Christmas Eve photo in December 2024.
    Rachel Raposas, People.com, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Instead, apply a clean dressing over the eye and go to the hospital immediately.
    Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Pauline’s ability to inhale the essence of materials like gold and apply it to her voice makes her words more lethal than anything DK can do solo.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Pratt’s conviction kept him behind bars for 27 years, and the case haunted Cochran, who believed Pratt was innocent and who had made a mistake at trial that prosecutors skillfully exploited.
    Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
  • The risk was leaving big spaces out wide that could be exploited in transition, by Juventus’ wing-backs especially.
    Liam Tharme, New York Times, 28 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Employ.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/employ. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on employ

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!