ENGAGES Synonyms: 112 Similar and Opposite Words

engages

verb

present tense third-person singular of engage

as in occupies

to hold the attention of the challenging jigsaw puzzle engaged us all evening

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in faces

to enter into contest or conflict with the daring young captain was eager to engage the enemy

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in commits

to obligate by prior agreement we can't go to the dance because we're already engaged to attend a piano recital

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reneges

as in employs

to provide with a paying job the wealthy couple are looking to engage a handyman to take care of the estate

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in hires

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 engages Land facing uphill and one spine engages; land facing downhill and the other does the job without the need for a pilot to calculate the perfect approach angle. — New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026 Specifically, the District engages parents to facilitate the logistical implementation of religious excusals under SB 1049. — Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026 Each owner separately engages DC Capital Law and becomes the firm’s client. — Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026 Additionally, Muspratt engages the audience by sharing stories about the composers and their compositions during the concerts and greeting them in person afterward. — Barbara Vitello, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026 Similarly, when using the Heat setting, the HVAC system engages the furnace, boiler, or similar heating system at the same time as the fan, increasing the amount of energy used. — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 24 Aug. 2026 Those are responsible for starting the diesel engines, which can be divorced via a lever that engages and disengages the inboard steering clutches. — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 20 Aug. 2026 But when Scotty engages the transporter with the puppet in place, the titular transporter accident occurs, turning the entire crew aboard the ship into sentient puppets. — Joe Otterson, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026 The generally low-impact activity engages multiple muscle groups while providing both cardiovascular and strength-building benefits. — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for engages

Verb

The Peter Marino Art Foundation occupies the former Rogers Memorial Library, a charming historic building in Southampton, New York, that its namesake has transformed into something much stranger inside.

— Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 27 Aug. 2026
The home occupies the entire top floor of the high-rise, where more than 2,000 square feet of terraces encircle the residence.

— David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of occupies

Verb

In an attempt to make the case against him, Pembrock commits a stunning act of illegality that would immediately have the case thrown out of court but at least provides the film a few moments of suspense.

— Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
Nigeria left the Financial Action Task Force grey list in October 2025, which has helped its standing with correspondent banks, though neither that nor the FTSE decision commits a single foreign allocator to buying anything.

— Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of commits

Verb

The Indus basin supplies about 80% of the country's irrigated agriculture, a sector that employs 65% of the labor force and represents roughly 25% of Pakistan's gross domestic product, according to data compiled by Chatham House.

— Sam Meredith,Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
The sector employs more than 12,000 workers at over 1,800 firms.

— Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of employs

Verb

Shikiya’s new gig follows other recent Anonymous Content hires like Liza Burnett Fefferman as chief communications and marketing officer and Michael Sinclair as chief legal officer.

— Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026
In the film, cartoon legend Coyote (who can’t speak, of course) hires a reluctant, unambitious lawyer Kevin Avery (East Bay native Will Forte) to be his mouthpiece and legal advocate.

— Randy Myers, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of hires

Verb

For how much this book immerses you in the natural world, there is regular talk of machinery and robots in the story.

— Zachary Fletcher, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
From the outset, the show immerses audiences in 1930s New York, and while set in a noir world, there’s a modern aspect to it too.

— Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of immerses

Verb

Set against the competitive world of Fleet Street, Murdoch purchases the failing Sun and recruits Lamb, a working-class editor with a very different idea of what a newspaper can be.

— Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
In the 1990 original, Quaid played a race team owner who recruits Cole into NASCAR, while Nicole Kidman played a neurosurgeon who becomes Cole’s love interest.

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026