engage

verb

in-ˈgāj How to pronounce engage (audio)
Definition of engagenext
1
as in to interest
to hold the attention of the challenging jigsaw puzzle engaged us all evening

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to face
to enter into contest or conflict with the daring young captain was eager to engage the enemy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to commit
to obligate by prior agreement we can't go to the dance because we're already engaged to attend a piano recital

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to employ
to provide with a paying job the wealthy couple are looking to engage a handyman to take care of the estate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to hire
to take or get the temporary use of (something) for a set sum my sister and her boyfriend have engaged a chauffeured limousine for the prom

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 engage The Baton Rouge Police Department identified the victims as 21-year-old Leah Fonte and 21-year-old Shane Hirstius, who were engaged. — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Expect retailers to lean harder into scarcity cues such as small production runs, early-access windows for loyalty members and social-media teasers, all designed to keep shoppers engaged through a longer calendar. — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2026 Their characters were fan favorites who began dating in Season 2 before getting engaged and married in the final season. — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026 The gang eventually released its hostages but dug into the tiny nearby hamlet of Bois D’Avril, into which Prince’s foreign ex-special forces flew in September, engaging them in an hours-long firefight. — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for engage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for engage
  1. interest
  2. face
  3. commit
  4. employ
  5. hire
  6. occupy
  7. meet
  8. recruit
Verb
  • With your background in documentaries, what interests you in that tension, particularly right now?
    — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Clearly there’s something about the relationship between audience and performer that interests you.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of interest
Verb
  • The co-pilot accused of carrying out the attack is under arrest and facing prosecution by UAE authorities.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Many depend on critical minerals such as copper and rare earth elements that face growing supply chain pressures.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of face
Verb
  • In August 2021, Qatar signed another agreement committing $40 million to a cash assistance program that would give nearly 100,000 Palestinian households $100 per month for four months.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
  • In 2013, the foundation committed $50 million to establish Dell Medical School at UT Austin, along with another $10 million for local health care initiatives.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of commit
Verb
  • The beats create ample negative space for Holden to employ riskier flows, often deploying a double-time pace to burn through technically dense passages.
    — Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Plus, data centers aren’t acting with haste or employing new innovations.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of employ
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
  • Now in its third modern iteration, the Carrera T occupies a uniquely appealing space within the 911 family.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Protesters have broken into schools and, in some cases, set fire to occupied or blockaded buildings.
    — Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of occupy
Verb
  • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which oversees vehicle safety, largely relies on automakers to certify that their cars meet federal standards.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Even a slight misalignment could leave visible defects where colors meet, while four hotends introduce more components that could potentially fail.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of meet
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

Phrases Containing engage

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enfranchising
engage
engaged
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Cite this Entry

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

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