engineering
noun
en·gi·neer·ing
ˌen-jə-ˈnir-iŋ 
1
: the activities or function of an engineer
2
a
: the application of science and mathematics by which the properties of matter and the sources of energy in nature are made useful to people
b
: the design and manufacture of complex products
software engineering
3
: calculated manipulation or direction (as of behavior)
social engineering
compare genetic engineering
Examples of engineering in a Sentence
This control panel is a good example of smart engineering.
Recent Examples on the Web
Traditional approaches focus on financial engineering such as negotiating discounts for long-term commitments, or on observability tools that track who is running what.
—
Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
Hacking a pre-Internet console Making this amusing amalgam of past and present technology possible required some clever engineering.
—ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
Storied military career After graduating from North Carolina A&T in 1963 with a degree in engineering physics, Joseph McNeil was commissioned as a second lieutenant through ROTC and began a distinguished Air Force career, according to his university.
—Charlotte Observer, 12 Sep. 2025
Reaching and maintaining fusion conditions requires pushing engineering limits, especially when dealing with temperatures over six times hotter than the core of the sun.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for engineering
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Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
Hacking a pre-Internet console Making this amusing amalgam of past and present technology possible required some clever engineering.
—ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
Storied military career After graduating from North Carolina A&T in 1963 with a degree in engineering physics, Joseph McNeil was commissioned as a second lieutenant through ROTC and began a distinguished Air Force career, according to his university.
—Charlotte Observer, 12 Sep. 2025
Reaching and maintaining fusion conditions requires pushing engineering limits, especially when dealing with temperatures over six times hotter than the core of the sun.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for engineering
Cite this Entry
“Engineering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/engineering. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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engineering
noun
en·gi·neer·ing
ˌen-jə-ˈni(ə)r-iŋ
: the science or profession of developing and using nature's power and resources in ways that are useful to people (as in designing and building roads, bridges, dams, or machines and in creating new products)
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