RECRUIT Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

recruit 1 of 2

verb

ri-ˈkrüt

Definition of recruit

as in to hire

to provide with a paying job thousands of recent immigrants were recruited to build the nation's rail system

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

recruit

2 of 2

noun

as in apprentice

a person who is just starting out in a field of activity the skydiving instructor and other experienced jumpers tried to encourage the new recruits on their first jump

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 recruit

Verb

American intelligence officials reportedly believe she was recruited by China's Ministry of State Security to gather information and potentially influence Nvidia's efforts to loosen American semiconductor export restrictions. — Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2026 France also uses video games to recruit teenagers to join the army. — Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 9 Nov. 2026

Noun

Hazing involves requiring new or potential recruits to the military or college fraternities to perform strenuous, humiliating or dangerous tasks. — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026 Harris, the nation’s top setter recruit for the 2026 class, had 46 assists over the first three matches of the season in the Longhorns’ 6-2 rotation. — Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 31 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recruit

Recent Examples of Synonyms for recruit

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

Noun

As part of the program, IBM will participate in a new City Colleges apprenticeship program to support 500 students to work at the innovation center over the next five years, hiring at least 180 apprentice alumni to reach its employment target.

— Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026
In 2025, Google committed $10 million to the Electrical Training Alliance to help train more than 100,000 electricians and 30,000 new apprentices within five years.

— Phillip Marangella, Forbes.com, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of apprentice

Verb

While many commissioners supported the idea, commission staff said the benchmark was too stringent to employ without understanding how the new sand placement will fare over the next few months or years.

— Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Unlike woodpeckers, which mostly use their neck muscles to drill, Akis employ their entire body’s momentum, from feet to beak, to slam into the wood.

— Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of employ

Noun

By July, morale among immigration officers had dipped below its nadir during the Biden Administration, with agents now complaining of being overextended, inundated with novice recruits, and undermined by inflammatory rhetoric from on high.

— Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Thomas was a novice attorney who had already run and lost as the Republican candidate for state attorney general.

— Michael Kiefer, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of novice

Noun

Sophomore Lexi White had 10 kills, nine digs and two aces, while freshman Taryn Lambert added 12 kills, 13 digs and two solo blocks.

— Steve Gorches, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2026
Georgia's Gigi Artiles is the only other outside hitters to be named the freshman of the week at least once.

— Zoe Collins Rath, Austin American Statesman, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of freshman

Noun

Texas’ Democratic sweep has raised questions about whether California transplants helped turn the state blue, but experts doubt the newcomers drove the shift.

— Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
Some Democratic candidates had experience as mayors or state lawmakers, but many are political newcomers.

— Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of newcomer

Noun

This is a great beginner-friendly telescope and comes with a couple of eyepieces to get new users on their skywatching journey.

— Harry Bennett, Space.com, 5 Nov. 2026
Eighty percent of the skiers are local, says Linebaugh, and half the runs are expert level, while the other half are well suited for beginners, intermediate, and ski school.

— Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of beginner

Noun

Heat rookie Ryan Conwell was the first guard used off the bench on Monday after beginning the season out of the rotation.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026
Judd Caulfield scored twice, rookie Roger McQueen added another and Leo Carlsson had three assists to help the Ducks win for the second time in nine games.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of rookie

Browse Nearby Words

recrudescing

recruit

recruited

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Recruit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recruit. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of recruit

verb

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gauntlet

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes