recruitment

noun

re·​cruit·​ment ri-ˈkrüt-mənt How to pronounce recruitment (audio)
Synonyms of recruitmentnext
1
: the action or process of recruiting
2
: the process of adding new individuals to a population or subpopulation (as of breeding or legally catchable individuals) by growth, reproduction, immigration, and stocking
also : a measure (as in numbers or biomass) of recruitment

Examples of recruitment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The city also plans to hire a recruitment firm to begin the search for a permanent replacement, a process Rabé estimated will take about six months. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026 Port, who is still in Spain on his mission trip, decided to reopen his recruitment after a coaching change at UCLA. — Austin Meek, New York Times, 2 July 2026 In addition, the department is also experiencing improved officer retention, recruitment, youth engagement, and more, the report stated. — Cbs Baltimore Staff, CBS News, 1 July 2026 Recent allegations of irregularities in government recruitment exams have only deepened frustrations among some young Indians. — Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for recruitment

Word History

First Known Use

1793, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of recruitment was in 1793

Browse Nearby Words

recruiting ground
recruitment
recrusher
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Recruitment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recruitment. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

recruitment

noun
re·​cruit·​ment ri-ˈkrüt-mənt How to pronounce recruitment (audio)
1
: the increase in intensity of a reflex when the initiating stimulus is prolonged without alteration of intensity due to the activation of increasing numbers of motor neurons compare reinforcement
2
: an abnormally rapid increase in the sensation of loudness with increasing sound intensity that occurs in deafness of neural origin and especially in neural deafness of the aged in which soft sounds may be completely inaudible while louder sounds are distressingly loud

More from Merriam-Webster on recruitment

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for recruitment

Nglish: Translation of recruitment for Spanish Speakers

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