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

Choose the Right Synonym for employ

use, employ, utilize mean to put into service especially to attain an end.

use implies availing oneself of something as a means or instrument to an end.

willing to use any means to achieve her ends

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

utilize may suggest the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something.

an old wooden bucket utilized as a planter

Examples of employ in a Sentence

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

The business currently employs 85 staff, but Reddy expects that number to hit 120 by the end of 2025. —David Prosser, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

Hill did learn to type but to this day employs just two fingers to get the job done. —Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 18 Dec. 2024

Noun

His passionate commitment to freedom landed him in the employ of the new regime, Oliver Cromwell’s Protectorate, as one of its most successful polemicists. —Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024

To photograph her as a model, in the bold outfits and provocative poses that advertising and editorial employ, renders that photographic language distinctly visible, and critiquable. —Max Norman, ARTnews.com, 9 Dec. 2024

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

Kids Definition

employ

1 of 2 verb

em·​ploy im-ˈplȯi 

1

: to make use of : use

2

a

: to use or obtain the services of

employ a lawyer to draw up a will

b

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

employ a staff of twenty

3

: to use or direct toward a particular goal

employ all of your energies to getting the job done

employable

-ə-bəl

adjective

employ

2 of 2 noun

: employment especially for wages or a salary

generous to people in their employ