employ 1 of 2

verb

im-ˈplȯi How to pronounce employ (audio)
Definition of employnext
1
as in to hire
to provide with a paying job a new factory that will employ 500 people

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

employ

2 of 2

noun

im-ˈplȯi How to pronounce employ (audio)
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb employ contrast with its synonyms?

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

Where would use be a reasonable alternative to employ?

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

When is it sensible to use utilize instead of employ?

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

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 employ
Verb
Last year, the company began employing the technology on its hives located on the sixth-floor rooftop of the Empire State Building. — Drew Robb, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 Although college graduates are still more likely to be employed than their non-degree counterparts, that advantage is smaller than it's been in decades. — Jessica Dickler,annie Nova, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
On the hit Apple TV horror comedy, Dickey plays Rosemary, an office worker in the employ of Mayor Tom Loftis (Rhys). — Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 28 July 2026 Within a single year, the East India Company had more than 400 weavers under their employ. — Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for employ
Recent Examples of Synonyms for employ
  1. hire
  2. use
  3. employment
  4. recruit
  5. utilize
  6. engage
  7. apply
  8. exploit
Verb
  • And as the most recent press secretary found out, you can be fired from the position just as quickly as you were hired.
    — Chandelis Duster, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The Cowboys brought Mike Pettine out of retirement, hiring him as a senior defensive assistant to help out Christian Parker, the team’s defensive coordinator, get this group back on track.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of hire
Verb
  • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimates US data centers used about 17 billion gallons of water for cooling in 2023, and that could double or even quadruple by 2028.
    — Adhum Carter Wolde-Lule, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • However, the available demonstration does not specify the training setup, how responsibilities the divided between the learning methods, or the precise control architecture used during execution.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of use
Noun
  • After all, a few additional years of employment can translate to more savings, fewer years of withdrawals and a bigger Social Security benefit.
    — John Csiszar, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Emerge continues to provide employment support for 12 months after placement.
    — Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of employment
Verb
  • Lee recruited a friend to help move the box to her bedroom, but the setup itself took less than 10 minutes.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The Atlanta rapper just announced Fresh—the follow-up to his 2025 studio effort Wham and subsequent mixtape The Leaks—and has recruited frequent collaborators Future and Young Thug for features, alongside Rylo Rodriguez, Bally Baby, and Fatt Smaxx.
    — Alex Suskind, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of recruit
Verb
  • By contrast, the new fabric utilizes the visible white light that's already being used in hospitals.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Oct. 2026
  • LaBranche has become a master of sleight of hand and confusing defenses as the Warriors utilize a ton of misdirection and a plethora of running backs to keep the opposition guessing about who is getting the ball.
    — Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of utilize
Verb
  • Radar systems detect incoming threats and supply information that helps defensive missiles engage their targets.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • At his suggestion, Gray began to dive into writings by Gilles Deleuze, bell hooks and Frantz Fanon, thinkers who engaged questions of difference, race and identity.
    — Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of engage
Verb
  • The approach applies manufacturing practices to research and development, allowing engineers and machinists to modify components and processes quickly as designs evolve.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Al Hassan wants renewal to happen automatically without needing to apply.
    — Inzamam Rashid, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of apply
Verb
  • Now, in yet another blow to national self-esteem, the ex-head of Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, the BND, has been arrested on charges of exploiting state secrets.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Major cringe, on the other hand, navigates the aesthetic affect critically and formally to induce it—viscerally exploiting its possibilities.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of exploit

Browse Nearby Words

emplacing
employ
employable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Employ.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/employ. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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