employ

1 of 2

verb

em·ploy im-ˈplȯi How to pronounce employ (audio)

em-

employed; employing; employs

transitive verb

: to make use of (someone or something inactive)

employ a pen for sketching

: to use (something, such as time) advantageously

a job that employed her skills

c(1)

: to use or engage the services of

(2)

: to provide with a job that pays wages or a salary

: to devote to or direct toward a particular activity or person

employed all her energies to help the poor

employ

2 of 2

noun

em·ploy im-ˈplȯi How to pronounce employ (audio)

ˈim-ˌplȯi,

ˈem-ˌplȯi

: use, purpose

: occupation, job

: the state of being employed

in the city's employ

Example Sentences

Verb The company is accused of employing questionable methods to obtain the contract. You should find better ways to employ your time. I had to employ a lawyer to review the contract. It's a small company, employing a staff of only 20. Noun while you're under our employ, you can't do outside work for our competitors

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

His solution was to relocate the assembly to a different Bolivian city and employ force to keep opposition members out during the vote.

Mary Anastasia O’grady, WSJ, 11 Sep. 2022 The Jaguars held Jonathan Taylor in check for the final seven quarters last season and should employ a similar game plan.

Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 7 Sep. 2022 The film, directed by Lukasz Palkowski, is now in pre-production and will employ at least 40% of the crew and many cast members from Ukraine.

Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 25 Aug. 2022 Hotels pay other local taxes and fees and employ people, who in turn are taxed.

Michael Goldstein, Forbes, 10 Aug. 2022 Two- and three-dimensional versions of the Tent Jacket will be accessible in multiple metaverses, which will hopefully allow Adiff to fund another run of the dual-function layers and once again employ refugees and immigrants.

Amelia Arvesen, Outside Online, 1 Aug. 2022 And receiving the tax breaks generally requires that the work be done by companies that pay prevailing wages and employ people in apprenticeship programs—the latter a common feature of unionized labor.

John Timmer, Ars Technica, 28 July 2022 To some employees that meant continuing to feed customers and employ 62,000 Russians.

Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 27 July 2022 The new 1,450-square-foot salon will feature eight to nine styling chairs and employ 25 licensed stylists.

Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 26 July 2022

Noun

The series takes place predominantly in and around the walls of the castle known as the Red Keep, with all of the significant figures either being members of the royal Targaryen family or people in their employ.

Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2022 Disney representatives said that the case was settled to avoid costly litigation and that the resort’s three hotels employ experts, including entomologists, to avoid bedbug problems.

Hugo Martínstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2022 Pierre Cardin is briefly in the employ of Schiaparelli.

Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, 1 July 2022 In a letter sent Friday to Democratic City Councilman Eric Costello, the chairman of the council’s Ways and Means Committee that conducts the budget hearing process, Mosby counted 144 prosecutors in her employ.

Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 6 June 2022 Waldman doesn't deny making the statements, but Depp's side argued that even though Waldman was under his employ, Depp was not involved or aware of these remarks.

Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE.com, 1 June 2022 Some private enterprises may be attracted to scrutinizing employees like an intelligence agency might keep tabs on analysts and spies, although employ don’t have access to the same data sources.

Sarah Scoles, New York Times, 17 May 2022 Burna Boy’s frequent employ of an a cappella or minimalist arrangement meant the eager attendees could often be heard singing clearly, their voices as sweet as Burna’s smile.

Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2022 Angell, who died earlier this month at the age of 101, spent 75 years in the employ of The New Yorker.

Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 28 May 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English emploien, emplien "to apply or devote (a thing to a purpose), apply (oneself) to a task, make use of, expend," borrowed from Anglo-French empleier, emploier, emplier "to entangle, fabricate, put to use, devote (oneself) to" (continental Middle French also "to make use of, apply, occupy [time], expend [money], use the services of [a person]"), going back to Latin implicāre "to fold about itself, entwine, entangle, involve, embroil" — more at implicate

Note: This verb does not appear in Middle English before the fifteenth century, and the predominance of the form with -oi-, retained in early Modern English, most likely reflects ongoing influence of continental French. — Latin implicāre gave rise to a verb meaning "to use, make use of" in Gallo-Romance (Old Occitan emplegar in addition to French empleier), Italian (impiegare) and Catalan (emplegar). Spanish emplear is an early borrowing from Old French. Compare imply.

Noun

borrowed from French emploi, going back to Middle French, "use, service," noun derivative of emploier "to put to use, employ entry 1"

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1679, in the meaning defined at sense 2

employ 1 of 2

verb

as in to hire

to provide with a paying job a new factory that will employ 500 people

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

hire
recruit
engage
retain
enlist
pay
assume
reemploy
place
lay on
take on
fee
rehire
promote
job
partner
sign (up or on)
subcontract
apprentice
reengage
contract
upgrade
scout
headhunt
advance
keep (on)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

can
dismiss
axe
sack
fire
discharge
ax
lay off
lock out
furlough

as in to use

to put into action or service looking for a job in which she can employ her considerable writing skills

Synonyms & Similar Words

use
utilize
apply
exploit
operate
harness
exercise
draw on
wield
draw upon
handle
manipulate
make use of
work
bring to bear
direct
recycle
reuse
run
cannibalize

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ignore
neglect
misuse
misapply

employ

2 of 2

noun

as in employment

the state of being provided with a paying job while you're under our employ, you can't do outside work for our competitors

Synonyms & Similar Words

employment
hire
work
tenure
assignment
engagement
position
appointment
recruitment
occupation
post
enlistment
conscription
situation
place
incumbency

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

removal
unemployment
firing
discharge
dismissal
boot
sack
suspension
leave
severance
nonemployment
retirement
joblessness
liberty
furlough
layoff
demotion

Synonym Chooser

The words use and utilize are common synonyms of employ. While all three words mean "to put into service especially to attain an end," employ suggests the use of a person or thing that is available but idle, inactive, or disengaged.

looking for better ways to employ their skills

Although the words use and employ have much in common, use implies availing oneself of something as a means or instrument to an end.

willing to use any means to achieve her ends

While the synonyms utilize and employ are close in meaning, utilize may suggest the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something.

an old wooden bucket utilized as a planter

单词	employ
释义	employ 1 of 2 verb em·ploy im-ˈplȯi em- employed; employing; employs transitive verb 1 a : to make use of (someone or something inactive) employ a pen for sketching b : to use (something, such as time) advantageously a job that employed her skills c(1) : to use or engage the services of (2) : to provide with a job that pays wages or a salary 2 : to devote to or direct toward a particular activity or person employed all her energies to help the poor employ 2 of 2 noun em·ploy im-ˈplȯi ˈim-ˌplȯi, ˈem-ˌplȯi 1 a : use, purpose b : occupation, job 2 : the state of being employed in the city's employ Synonyms Verb assume engage fee [chiefly Scottish] hire lay on [chiefly British] pay place recruit retain sign (up or on) take on Noun employment engagement hire See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Verb The company is accused of employing questionable methods to obtain the contract. You should find better ways to employ your time. I had to employ a lawyer to review the contract. It's a small company, employing a staff of only 20. Noun while you're under our employ, you can't do outside work for our competitors Recent Examples on the Web Verb His solution was to relocate the assembly to a different Bolivian city and employ force to keep opposition members out during the vote. Mary Anastasia O’grady, WSJ, 11 Sep. 2022 The Jaguars held Jonathan Taylor in check for the final seven quarters last season and should employ a similar game plan. Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 7 Sep. 2022 The film, directed by Lukasz Palkowski, is now in pre-production and will employ at least 40% of the crew and many cast members from Ukraine. Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 25 Aug. 2022 Hotels pay other local taxes and fees and employ people, who in turn are taxed. Michael Goldstein, Forbes, 10 Aug. 2022 Two- and three-dimensional versions of the Tent Jacket will be accessible in multiple metaverses, which will hopefully allow Adiff to fund another run of the dual-function layers and once again employ refugees and immigrants. Amelia Arvesen, Outside Online, 1 Aug. 2022 And receiving the tax breaks generally requires that the work be done by companies that pay prevailing wages and employ people in apprenticeship programs—the latter a common feature of unionized labor. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 28 July 2022 To some employees that meant continuing to feed customers and employ 62,000 Russians. Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 27 July 2022 The new 1,450-square-foot salon will feature eight to nine styling chairs and employ 25 licensed stylists. Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 26 July 2022 Noun The series takes place predominantly in and around the walls of the castle known as the Red Keep, with all of the significant figures either being members of the royal Targaryen family or people in their employ. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2022 Disney representatives said that the case was settled to avoid costly litigation and that the resort’s three hotels employ experts, including entomologists, to avoid bedbug problems. Hugo Martínstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2022 Pierre Cardin is briefly in the employ of Schiaparelli. Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, 1 July 2022 In a letter sent Friday to Democratic City Councilman Eric Costello, the chairman of the council’s Ways and Means Committee that conducts the budget hearing process, Mosby counted 144 prosecutors in her employ. Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 6 June 2022 Waldman doesn't deny making the statements, but Depp's side argued that even though Waldman was under his employ, Depp was not involved or aware of these remarks. Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE.com, 1 June 2022 Some private enterprises may be attracted to scrutinizing employees like an intelligence agency might keep tabs on analysts and spies, although employ don’t have access to the same data sources. Sarah Scoles, New York Times, 17 May 2022 Burna Boy’s frequent employ of an a cappella or minimalist arrangement meant the eager attendees could often be heard singing clearly, their voices as sweet as Burna’s smile. Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2022 Angell, who died earlier this month at the age of 101, spent 75 years in the employ of The New Yorker. Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 28 May 2022 See More Word History Etymology Verb Middle English emploien, emplien "to apply or devote (a thing to a purpose), apply (oneself) to a task, make use of, expend," borrowed from Anglo-French empleier, emploier, emplier "to entangle, fabricate, put to use, devote (oneself) to" (continental Middle French also "to make use of, apply, occupy [time], expend [money], use the services of [a person]"), going back to Latin implicāre "to fold about itself, entwine, entangle, involve, embroil" — more at implicate Note: This verb does not appear in Middle English before the fifteenth century, and the predominance of the form with -oi-, retained in early Modern English, most likely reflects ongoing influence of continental French. — Latin implicāre gave rise to a verb meaning "to use, make use of" in Gallo-Romance (Old Occitan emplegar in addition to French empleier), Italian (impiegare) and Catalan (emplegar). Spanish emplear is an early borrowing from Old French. Compare imply. Noun borrowed from French emploi, going back to Middle French, "use, service," noun derivative of emploier "to put to use, employ entry 1" First Known Use Verb 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Noun 1679, in the meaning defined at sense 2 Phrases Containing employ in someone's employ re-employ in someone's employ re-employ Kids Definition employ 1 of 2 verb em·ploy im-ˈplȯi employed; employing 1 : to give a job to : use the services of The company employs over 500 workers. 2 : to make use of They employ traditional methods of farming. employ 2 of 2 noun : the state of being hired for a job by The gentleman is in the employ of a large bank. employ 1 of 2 verb 1 as in to hire to provide with a paying job a new factory that will employ 500 people Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance hire recruit engage retain enlist pay assume reemploy place lay on take on fee rehire promote job partner sign (up or on) subcontract apprentice reengage contract upgrade scout headhunt advance keep (on) Antonyms & Near Antonyms can dismiss axe sack fire discharge ax lay off lock out furlough See More 2 as in to use to put into action or service looking for a job in which she can employ her considerable writing skills Synonyms & Similar Words use utilize apply exploit operate harness exercise draw on wield draw upon handle manipulate make use of work bring to bear direct recycle reuse run cannibalize Antonyms & Near Antonyms ignore neglect misuse misapply employ 2 of 2 noun as in employment the state of being provided with a paying job while you're under our employ, you can't do outside work for our competitors Synonyms & Similar Words employment hire work tenure assignment engagement position appointment recruitment occupation post enlistment conscription situation place incumbency Antonyms & Near Antonyms removal unemployment firing discharge dismissal boot sack suspension leave severance nonemployment retirement joblessness liberty furlough layoff demotion See More Synonym Chooser The words use and utilize are common synonyms of employ. While all three words mean "to put into service especially to attain an end," employ suggests the use of a person or thing that is available but idle, inactive, or disengaged. looking for better ways to employ their skills Although the words use and employ have much in common, use implies availing oneself of something as a means or instrument to an end. willing to use any means to achieve her ends While the synonyms utilize and employ are close in meaning, utilize may suggest the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something. an old wooden bucket utilized as a planter
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employ

verb

noun

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing employ

Kids Definition

verb

noun

verb

noun

Synonym Chooser