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
This year’s festival campaign includes partnerships with The Bowery Mission and Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy to engage New York residents to volunteer, with support from Goodera.
—
Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
How is the company planning to keep shoppers engaged?
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 4 Sep. 2025
The Aeneid engages especially with two distinct eras in the history of Rome.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Unlike missiles or shells, a laser can engage targets at the speed of light with virtually no time lag between acquisition and interception.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for engage
Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
How is the company planning to keep shoppers engaged?
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 4 Sep. 2025
The Aeneid engages especially with two distinct eras in the history of Rome.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Unlike missiles or shells, a laser can engage targets at the speed of light with virtually no time lag between acquisition and interception.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for engage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for engage
Verb
-
Programs like these give students the ability to pursue their passions and learn more about careers that interest them, which is 16-year-old Karina Monter's goal.—
Peyton Robinson,
Freep.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
This promo will also work the same way for any MLB games that interest you tonight.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In his first two title defenses, Makhachev faced then-UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Will these two have to face each other in the final round?—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
McBee also admitted to committing additional fraud in 2019 and 2020.—
Liza Esquibias,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Those who dismissed intersectionality saw such policies as little more than allowing the disadvantaged to commit crimes without consequences to make up for past inequities, afflicting crime victims from the same disadvantaged communities.—
John Scott Lewinski,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The plant was projected to employ up to 8,500 people when complete.—
Caroll Alvarado,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
-
The Jayhawks had decided, coach Lance Leipold said postgame, to run out the clock rather than trying to score in the final minute — a sharp departure from the aggressive play-calling KU had employed in the first quarter.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Hit Man Based on an outrageous true story, Richard Linklater's 2024 action rom-com sees Glen Powell donning the many disguises of Gary Johnson, a New Orleans Police Department contractor who poses as a hitman to arrest those trying to hire him.—
Jacqueline Weiss,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Coleman was recruited to Arizona by Fisch and transferred to Washington when the coach was hired in Seattle.—
Joe Davidosn,
Sacbee.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Fifteen years ago, Mexican attorney Alma Barraza immersed herself in a legal fight to win fair compensation for indigent villagers who lost their property when the government seized land to build a dam.—
Ray Long,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Some viewers will be fully immersed in the horror and despair of the moment, while others may have greater misgivings regarding Ben Hania’s layering of tearjerker tactics over material that hardly requires extra emotional amplification.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The best interpretation from this and other trends is that renewables are replacing fossil sources in meeting new energy demand but haven’t started to displace them on a global basis.—
Scott Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Having won all six of his races across three Grand Slam Track meets between April and June, Bednarek was crowned Racer of the Year in the inaugural season of the league launched by sprinting great Michael Johnson.—
Coy Wire,
CNN Money,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Cassellius has since recruited new leaders over operations, human resources, communications and academics.—
Rory Linnane,
jsonline.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Iran deployed human-wave attacks and recruited child soldiers as human minesweepers.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Engage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/engage. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share