Employ

Quick meaning: Employ is a verb meaning To retain (someone) as an employee.

Meaning

To retain (someone) as an employee.

More Meanings

1. To use (someone or something) for a job or task.
2. To make busy; to preoccupy.
3. The state of being an employee; employment.
4. (rare) To provide (someone) with a new job; to hire.
5. (archaic) An occupation.
6. (obsolete) The act of employing someone or making use of something; employment.

Example Sentences

Our company employs hundreds of people.

The burglar employed a jemmy to get in.

Yesterday our local garage employed a new mechanic.

The management, who were close personal friends, had just employed a new chef.

Word Forms

• employs
• employing
• employed

Synonyms for employ

Depending on context, synonyms include apply, appoint, bestow, brook, commission, commit.

Antonyms for employ

Common opposites include discard, disuse, shun, surrender, dismiss, terminate.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include employment, hire, use, utilize, apply, utilise.

Commonly Confused & Compared Words

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