1
a
: a long stick carried in the hand for support in walking
b
: a supporting rod: such as
(1)
archaic
: shaft sense 1a(1)
(2)
: a crosspiece in a ladder or chair : rung
(3)
(4)
: a pivoted arbor
2
a
: crosier
b
: a rod carried as a symbol of office or authority
3
: the horizontal lines with their spaces on which music is written
called also stave
4
: any of various graduated sticks or rules used for measuring : rod
5
plural staffs
a
: the officers chiefly responsible for the internal operations of an institution or business
b
: a group of officers appointed to assist a civil executive or commanding officer
c
: military or naval officers not eligible for operational command
d
: the personnel who assist a director in carrying out an assigned task
e
plural staff
: a member of a staff
employs three full-time staff
staff
adjective
staffed; staffing; staffs
1
: to supply with a staff or with workers
2
: to serve as a staff member of
an organization staffed by volunteers
Synonyms
Examples of staff in a Sentence
Noun
The entire staff has done a great job this year.
The staff is at a meeting.
She's a new member of the staff.
The general's staff is planning the army's next move.
Verb
We'll need 300 workers to properly staff the hotel.
the 300 workers who staff the hotel
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrew Baggarly, The Athletic, 30 Jan. 2025
On the afternoon of January 27th, major portions of the staff who operate U.S.A.I.D. were purged.
—Atul Gawande, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2025
William Melhado, Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2025
Today, that facility houses 15 prisoners and is staffed by 800 troops and civilians.
—Hamed Aleaziz, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for staff 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
The Giants will have no shortage of candidates to round out the pitching staff on Opening Day, especially after signing Justin Verlander to join a rotation that also includes Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Jordan Hicks.
—Andrew Baggarly, The Athletic, 30 Jan. 2025
On the afternoon of January 27th, major portions of the staff who operate U.S.A.I.D. were purged.
—Atul Gawande, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2025
Verb
Telework, mandatory overtime and more Mandatory overtime is another issue facing psychiatric technicians and other state employees staffing 24/7 facilities.
—William Melhado, Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2025
Today, that facility houses 15 prisoners and is staffed by 800 troops and civilians.
—Hamed Aleaziz, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for staff
Dictionary Entries Near staff
Cite this Entry
“Staff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/staff. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
staff
1 of 2 noun1
a
: a pole, stick, rod, or bar used as a support or as a sign of authority
a flag hanging limp on its staff
b
: the long handle of a weapon (as a lance or pike)
2
: something that is a source of strength
bread is the staff of life
3
: the five horizontal lines and the spaces between them on which music is written
4
plural staffs
a
: a group of persons serving as assistants to or employees under a chief
a hospital staff
b
: military officers who assist a commanding officer in planning and management but who do not take part in actual combat
staff
adjective
staff
2 of 2 verb
: to supply with a staff or with workers
Medical Definition
staff
noun
: the doctors and surgeons regularly attached to a hospital and helping to determine its policies and guide its activities
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