employ

[em-ploi]

verb (used with object)

1. to hire or engage the services of (a person or persons); provide employment for; have or keep in one's service.

   This factory employs thousands of people.

2. to make use of (an instrument, means, etc.); use; apply.

   We employ objective and scientific methods to analyze all management areas.

3. to keep busy or at work; engage the attentions of.

   He employs himself by reading after work.

4. to occupy or devote (time, energies, etc.).

   I employ my spare time in reading. I employ all my energies in writing.

noun

1. employment; service.

   to be in someone's employ.

employ

/ ɪmˈplɔɪ /

verb

1. to engage or make use of the services of (a person) in return for money; hire

2. to provide work or occupation for; keep busy; occupy

   collecting stamps employs a lot of his time

3. to use as a means

   to employ secret measures to get one's ends

noun

1. the state of being employed (esp in the phrase in someone's employ )

Other Word Forms

• employable adjective
• employability noun
• nonemploying adjective
• overemploy verb (used with object)
• preemploy verb (used with object)
• reemploy verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of employ¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English employen, from Anglo-French, Middle French emploier, ultimately derived from Latin implicāre “to enfold” ( Late Latin: “to engage”); implicate

Word History and Origins

Origin of employ¹

C15: from Old French emploier, from Latin implicāre to entangle, engage, from plicāre to fold

Example Sentences

Hyundai said in a statement that none of them were directly employed by the company.

From BBC

The state's governor, Republican Brian Kemp, had touted Hyundai's new electric vehicle operation as the biggest economic development project in the state's history, employing 1,200 people.

From BBC

While explaining that the paper used to occupy the whole building, employing over 1000 people, our frenemy Ken remarks, “That’s absolutely insane, if I do say so myself,” saucing each word with condescension.

From Salon

In another section of the cemetery stands a memorial "to the heroes of the Special Military Operation", the official label the Kremlin continues to employ for Russia's war on Ukraine.

From BBC

Throughout the interview, he employed his usual BS method of pretending he knows what he’s talking about by drawing on half-remembered details he heard from other people.

From Salon

Related Words

• apply 
• engage 
• exploit 
• handle 
• occupy 
• operate 
• spend 
• use 
• utilize 

When To Use

What does employ mean?

To employ someone is to pay them to work. An employer employs employees.The state of being employed is employment.A more specific use of employ is as a noun meaning employment or service. This sense of the word is almost always used in phrases like in their employ. Employ also means to use, as in This task will require you to employ a different skill set.Less commonly, employ can mean to keep one busy or occupy one, as in During flights I usually employ myself with some knitting. Example: My company employs more than 500 people.