hire 1 of 2

hire

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word hire different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of hire are charter, lease, let, and rent. While all these words mean "to engage or grant for use at a price," hire and let, strictly speaking, are complementary terms, hire implying the act of engaging or taking for use and let the granting of use.

we hired a car for the summer
decided to let the cottage to a young couple

In what contexts can charter take the place of hire?

The synonyms charter and hire are sometimes interchangeable, but charter applies to the hiring or letting of a vehicle usually for exclusive use.

charter a bus to go to the game

When can lease be used instead of hire?

The words lease and hire can be used in similar contexts, but lease strictly implies a letting under the terms of a contract but is often applied to hiring on a lease.

the diplomat leased an apartment for a year

When is it sensible to use rent instead of hire?

Although the words rent and hire have much in common, rent stresses the payment of money for the full use of property and may imply either hiring or letting.

instead of buying a house, they decided to rent
will not rent to families with children

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 hire
Verb
Paramount Skydance is reportedly finalizing a deal to hire Bari Weiss, the founder of the Free Press, as editor in chief of CBS News. Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025 The city did not say what had happened to outgoing attorney Patrick Baker, who was hired in March 2019. Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
The hires have hit every box, from top coordinator (Muschamp) to Group of 5 head coach (McElwain, Napier) to sitting SEC coach (Mullen). Matt Baker, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 For the new hires taking over the many faces of Matt Mercer in the adaptation, the array of talent on display is mind-boggling, encompassing Broadway stars, country music legends, and not one, but three Disney princesses. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hire
Verb
  • No longer a neighborhood pub, Sockeye Alehouse will remain available to rent for private events.
    Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 2 Oct. 2025
  • And Universal Pictures Home Entertainment movies will continue to be available to rent and purchase through YouTube TV.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The health care sector accounted for 48% of that lackluster growth, expanding by about 232,000 jobs, even though the sector employs only about 11% of workers.
    Phillip Reese, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Its outcome could define how far immigration officers may go in workplaces across the country, shaping protections for millions of Americans employed in industries with large immigrant labor forces and testing whether the Fourth Amendment meaningfully constrains interior enforcement.
    Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The expectation was that rates could move more decisively on Friday, when the monthly employment report was set for release, but the government shutdown now has that in limbo.
    Diana Olick, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Over the course of a 45-minute media session, Picollo listed the job employment that won’t change but spent the majority of his time talking about the things that will change offensively.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Any changes can only take effect after the next election, meaning any move that would change salaries during this shutdown would not take effect.
    Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The job is part of a wave of high-salary positions aimed at leading AI product strategy and boosting productivity.
    Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Choral’s ambitious committee, determined to press ahead, decides to recruit local young males to swell their ranks.
    Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2025
  • But the unexpected interloper turns out not to be the last of the heist’s hiccups when new team recruit Zen (Rosa Salazar) plugs Parker’s crew full of bullet holes and makes off with the rest of the cash.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on Tuesday estimated that a shutdown could furlough roughly 750,000 federal workers each day, depriving them of about $400 million in wages daily.
    Nik Popli, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
  • In some departments, such as in-room dining, wages have been cut nearly in half.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The state made a similar deal with the white owners of a nearby daycare that had to close due to flooding -- but ALDOT paid those property owners $165,000 for a portion of their property.
    Maia Rosenfeld, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Typically, financial advisors are paid via commission, fees or a hybrid of the two.
    Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Requirements differ between states, with some requiring a one-week waiting period before someone qualifies for payments, the OPM said.
    Medora Lee, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • For the second half of the payment, once Mandel Group pays its annual taxes on the site, the city will give Mandel Group a rebate check back on 75% of the developer's taxes each year.
    Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hire. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on hire

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!