engagement

noun

en·​gage·​ment in-ˈgāj-mənt 

en-

1

a

: an arrangement to meet or be present at a specified time and place

a dinner engagement

b

: a job or period of employment especially as a performer

2

: something that engages : pledge

3

a

: the act of engaging : the state of being engaged

b

: emotional involvement or commitment

seesaws between obsessive engagement and ambiguous detachment

—Gary Taylor

c

: betrothal

4

: the state of being in gear

5

: a hostile encounter between military forces

Synonyms

• betrothal
• espousal
• troth

Examples of engagement in a Sentence

The couple recently announced their engagement.

She surprised everyone by breaking off her yearlong engagement.

We have a dinner engagement this weekend.

She's been offered several speaking engagements.

his lifelong engagement with politics

a lack of emotional engagement

Recent Examples on the Web

A week later, Google reported that searches for marquise engagement rings were at an all-time high, surpassing round cuts for the first time ever—long the most popular cut for couples. —Elise Taylor, Vogue, 20 Dec. 2024

Lyman granted that some independent journalists amplified prejudice to boost engagement. —Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2024

David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee. —David Plazas, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024

Since announcing his engagement on Nov. 29, Allen has combined for 14 touchdowns, and is tied with Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow for total number of TDs this year (37). —Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 19 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing engagement

• re-engagement

Kids Definition

engagement

noun

en·​gage·​ment in-ˈgāj-mənt 

1

a

: a promise to be present at a specified place and time

b

: employment especially for a stated time

the band had engagements in different towns

2

: pledge entry 1 sense 5, obligation

3

a

: the act of engaging : the state of being engaged

b

: an agreement to marry

also : the period during which one is pledged to be married

4

: the state of being meshed into a working arrangement in which one part drives another

5

: the state of being in conflict, opposition, or battle

Medical Definition

engagement

noun

en·​gage·​ment in-ˈgāj-mənt 

: the phase of childbirth in which the fetal head passes into the cavity of the true pelvis