employ 1 of 2

verb

im-ˈplȯi How to pronounce employ (audio)
Definition of employnext
1
as in to hire
to provide with a paying job a new factory that will employ 500 people

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to use
to put into action or service looking for a job in which she can employ her considerable writing skills

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

employ

2 of 2

noun

im-ˈplȯi How to pronounce employ (audio)
as in employment
the state of being provided with a paying job while you're under our employ, you can't do outside work for our competitors

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb employ contrast with its synonyms?

The words use and utilize are common synonyms of employ. While all three words mean "to put into service especially to attain an end," 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

Where would use be a reasonable alternative to employ?

Although the words use and employ have much in common, use implies availing oneself of something as a means or instrument to an end.

willing to use any means to achieve her ends

When is it sensible to use utilize instead of employ?

While the synonyms utilize and employ are close in meaning, utilize may suggest the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something.

an old wooden bucket utilized as a planter

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 employ
Verb
Cowboy music employed a strong sense of place by blending European storytelling traditions with images from a regionally specific way of life. — Ted Olson, The Conversation, 2 July 2026 Octapharma employs more than 11,000 people worldwide and generated about $4 billion in revenue last year. — John Marks, Charlotte Observer, 2 July 2026
Noun
After the princess’s longtime stylist, Natasha Archer, departed Kate’s employ last summer, Kate hasn’t hired a stylist to replace her. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 6 June 2026 Some employ chatbots for fun or companionship, but many others use them to support their mental health care—from attempting to self-diagnose conditions to helping with self-discipline. — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for employ
Recent Examples of Synonyms for employ
  1. hire
  2. use
  3. employment
  4. recruit
  5. utilize
  6. engage
  7. apply
  8. exploit
Verb
  • Participants in the civil proceedings can hire private stenographers to maintain a record of what’s said, but their services can run thousands of dollars a day.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Under basic labor law, MLB could hire temporary workers during a lockout, but that is not going to happen.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of hire
Verb
  • Alysa Guffey Currently, data centers use industrial zoning and ask for exemptions to use the site for data centers.
    — Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 2 July 2026
  • In court documents, O’Hara alleged the defendants violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights, accusing them of unlawfully restricting free speech and initiating an unlawful seizure while using excessive force.
    — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of use
Noun
  • The traditional concept of professional security, once anchored in stable, full-time employment and institutional safeguards, is fundamentally outdated.
    — Henrik Totterman, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • David Card, who won a Nobel Prize in 2021 for his work on this subject, documented that this inflow actually prompted a significant increase in new business investment and thus led to a surge in new employment.
    — Robert Hormats, Time, 4 July 2026
Definition of employment
Verb
  • At that point, college programs weren’t lining up to recruit a 187-pound pass rusher who hadn’t played a down of high school football.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 2 July 2026
  • There is a warning in all of this for the companies working hardest to recruit and retain young Black talent.
    — Jasmine Browley, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of recruit
Verb
  • He was arrested after police tracked his location by obtaining his cell phone number and utilizing data from cell towers in the area.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Factoring the maximum of three two-way contract slots into account when they are officially filled, that pushes the Hornets up to 19, leaving just two more spots that can be utilized in the offseason and heading into training camp.
    — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026
Definition of utilize
Verb
  • All eyes have been on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s upcoming wedding since before they even got engaged, but with the ceremony being just days away, anticipation has reached a fever pitch.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 30 June 2026
  • Effective delivery also requires using engaging visuals, incorporating storytelling for emotional connection, and developing strong physical presence.
    — William Arruda, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of engage
Verb
  • Wiener asked for amendments to the bill during the bill’s review and in the committee meeting, including that the lifetime ban only be applied to Tier 3 members.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • The ruling establishes the legal standard going forward and does not change the law that applied previously.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of apply
Verb
  • Jim has repeatedly said that as AI becomes better at uncovering software flaws, businesses will need increasingly sophisticated tools to identify, patch, and defend against those vulnerabilities before hackers can exploit them.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 3 July 2026
  • Firmware updates often fix security holes that attackers love to exploit.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of exploit

Browse Nearby Words

emplacing
employ
employable
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Cite this Entry

“Employ.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/employ. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on employ

Nglish: Translation of employ for Spanish Speakers

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