employed; employing; employs
1
a
: to make use of (someone or something inactive)
employ a pen for sketching
b
: to use (something, such as time) advantageously
a job that employed her skills
c(1)
: to use or engage the services of
(2)
: to provide with a job that pays wages or a salary
2
: to devote to or direct toward a particular activity or person
employed all her energies to help the poor
1
b
: occupation, job
2
: the state of being employed
in the city's employ
Synonyms
Examples of employ in a Sentence
Verb
The company is accused of employing questionable methods to obtain the contract.
You should find better ways to employ your time.
I had to employ a lawyer to review the contract.
It's a small company, employing a staff of only 20.
Noun
while you're under our employ, you can't do outside work for our competitors
Recent Examples on the Web
David Sacks, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024
Acronis Cyber Protect also employs machine learning to monitor performance and reliability.
—PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024
Scarlett Conlon, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2024
This lets the headset employ foveation, where more processing power is dedicated to rendering what the user is looking directly at versus the periphery, enabling better performance.
—Will Greenwald, PCMAG, 18 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for employ 
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Verb
As part of these tactics, China has levied tariffs and embargoes on Taiwanese exports, sought to increase Taiwan’s international isolation, and employed disinformation campaigns and cyberattacks meant to destabilize its people and government.
—David Sacks, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024
Acronis Cyber Protect also employs machine learning to monitor performance and reliability.
—PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
All of these employ locals—as per the fictional Muratoris.
—Scarlett Conlon, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2024
This lets the headset employ foveation, where more processing power is dedicated to rendering what the user is looking directly at versus the periphery, enabling better performance.
—Will Greenwald, PCMAG, 18 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for employ
Articles Related to employ
Dictionary Entries Near employ
Cite this Entry
“Employ.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/employ. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
employ
1 of 2 verb
em·ploy
im-ˈplȯi 
1
: to make use of : use
2
a
: to use or obtain the services of
employ a lawyer to draw up a will
b
: to provide with a job that pays wages or a salary
employ a staff of twenty
3
: to use or direct toward a particular goal
employ all of your energies to getting the job done
employable
adjective
-ə-bəl
employ
2 of 2 noun
: employment especially for wages or a salary
generous to people in their employ
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