engage

verb

in-ˈgāj How to pronounce engage (audio)
Definition of engagenext
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
as in to face
to enter into contest or conflict with the daring young captain was eager to engage the enemy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 Standing Overhead Press Standing overhead presses strengthen your shoulders, particularly the front and middle deltoids, while also engaging your triceps and upper back. — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 3 Nov. 2026 While at the establishment, the report said Gonzalez engaged an assistant waiter in an argument, questioning the worker about his sexuality. — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026 The council is a sign of the mayor’s willingness to engage corporate leaders to shape the city’s economic future and an opportunity to connect his economic agenda to the community’s needs. — Matt Jozwiak, New York Daily News, 3 Nov. 2026 To draw larger audiences, networks like CNN, Fox News, and MS Now are beefing up their election night coverage, promising more data, dynamic commentary, and engaging visualization than before. — Oscar Hartzog, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for engage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for engage
  1. interest
  2. face
  3. commit
  4. employ
  5. hire
  6. occupy
  7. meet
  8. recruit
Verb
  • What interests me most is the possibility of giving doctors another set of highly capable eyes.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Follow what interests you without needing to come home with a grand revelation.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of interest
Verb
  • San Jose Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky, after losing to the Senators on Saturday, called them the best team his team has faced all season, commending them for being fast, competitive and connected.
    — Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Cotton has opposed ending daylight saving for years, arguing that children would head to school before sunrise and commuters could face safety risks during the winter months.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of face
Verb
  • Foul trouble hit Miami early The Hurricanes committed 13 personal fouls in the first half.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026
  • With support from Jeff Yass, a Pennsylvania hedge-fund billionaire who is committed to school vouchers, Abbott got detractors voted out of office.
    — Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of commit
Verb
  • The slumping kicker carried his equipment bag across the Chiefs’ practice field, still employed here, at least for the moment.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The brands that do best are those that employ a mix of influencer tiers, says Laura Rocha Pulido, head of insights at influencer marketing and analytics platform Lefty.
    — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of employ
Verb
  • When the decision to hire Schottenheimer was made, anything that happened afterward immediately fell on the Joneses up top.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Being on a massive TV set is an intimidating enough position to find yourself in, let alone playing a character who would quickly become an antagonist to the powerful people who’ve hired her.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of hire
Verb
  • According to the researchers, formation accounts for roughly one-third of battery production costs and occupies about a quarter of a manufacturing facility’s floor space.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Gaga’s former penthouse is a corner duplex occupying the top two floors of the building.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of occupy
Verb
  • The work is part of a broader effort to understand how eVTOL aircraft can share airspace and infrastructure with conventional aircraft while meeting aviation safety requirements.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Now parties must meet, bargain and seek a way to team up for at least 61 seats in the 120-member Knesset.
    — CARA ANNA, Arkansas Online, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of meet
Verb
  • The move comes as the Justice Department investigates allegations that Democrats recruited the second Dan Sullivan to siphon votes from the Republican incumbent.
    — Justin Papp,Caleigh Keating,Garrett Downs,Kevin Breuninger,Dan Mangan, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Laika was a 3-year-old stray husky-spitz mix from the streets of Moscow, and she was recruited by the Soviet space program for her small size and calm temperament.
    — Hanneke Weitering, Space.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of recruit

Phrases Containing engage

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enfranchising
engage
engaged
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Cite this Entry

“Engage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/engage. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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