Synonyms of employed

employed 1 of 2

adjective

as in engaged

involved in often constant activity

insisted that the children be employed in some useful activity, even during school vacations

Synonyms & Similar Words

• engaged
• diligent
• busy
• occupied
• working
• active
• preoccupied
• immersed
• industrious
• assiduous
• sedulous
• bustling
• laborious
• absorbed
• operating
• hopping
• tied-up
• concentrating
• focused
• going
• functioning
• operative
• humming
• operational
• buzzing
• animated
• running
• lively
• engrossed
• thriving
• flourishing
• swamped
• hardworking
• vibrant
• living
• happening
• intent
• energetic
• functional
• knee-deep
• astir
• alive
• vigorous
• tireless
• indefatigable
• untiring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unemployed
• idle
• unoccupied
• inactive
• free
• latent
• passive
• dormant
• quiescent
• asleep
• sleepy
• inert
• lifeless
• unbusy
• slow
• dead
• dull
• inoperative
• nonoperating

employed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of employ

1

as in hired

to provide with a paying job

a new factory that will employ 500 people

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hired
• recruited
• engaged
• paid
• retained
• placed
• enlisted
• signed (up or on)
• assumed
• laid on
• feed
• took on
• rehired
• reemployed
• partnered
• subcontracted
• contracted
• apprenticed
• promoted
• jobbed
• reengaged
• upgraded
• scouted
• kept (on)
• advanced
• headhunted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dismissed
• discharged
• fired
• canned
• sacked
• laid off
• axed
• locked out
• furloughed

2

as in used

to put into action or service

looking for a job in which she can employ her considerable writing skills

Synonyms & Similar Words

• used
• utilized
• applied
• exploited
• operated
• harnessed
• exercised
• brought to bear
• drew on
• made use of
• wielded
• handled
• manipulated
• worked
• directed
• reused
• recycled
• ran
• cannibalized

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignored
• neglected
• misused
• misapplied

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of employed

Verb

According to the filing, Netflix employed an average of 342 staff in the UK in 2025, up from 263 the year before. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026

Harte is no longer employed by the Naugatuck Board of Education, police said. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026

Even if a job listing is not a scam, a company may post a role while planning to hire internally or recruiting someone already employed elsewhere. — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

Monken, who spent the last three seasons as the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator, wasn’t employed by the Browns for any of Watson’s 19 previous starts. — Zac Jackson, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

In 1874, the New York Tribune estimated that 50,000 agents were employed by subscription publishers. — Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026

The San Francisco Bay Area, epicenter of the artificial intelligence boom, is home to a massive amount of tech workers employed by some of the world’s most valuable companies, from Apple to Nvidia. — Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Jeyifous, born in Nigeria and living in New York, is also an architect and designer, and uses some of the digital tools that are often employed in those fields. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 20 Aug. 2026

The helicopters have been employed around the Strait of Hormuz as part of the measures to maintain open navigation channels. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026