English · Word Candidate

employ

/ɪmˈplɔɪ/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: employs · employing

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To retain (someone) as an employee.

Verb

Our company employs hundreds of people.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

To use (someone or something) for a job or task.

Verb

The burglar employed a jemmy to get in.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

The state of being an employee; employment.

Noun

The school district has six thousand teachers in its employ.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

What does “employ” mean?

To retain (someone) as an employee.

Is “employ” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.