employ
gb/ɪmplˈɔɪ/ us/ɪmplˈɔɪ/
A2
English
~ 1300
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Hire someone for a job
To pay someone to do a job for you.
Usage pattern:
to employ [someone] as [a job]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'employ' with 'apply'. 'Employ' means to give someone a job, not to ask for one.
Synonyms
hire (More common in everyday speech; 'employ' is slightly more formal.)
Antonyms
fire (Means to remove someone from their job, the opposite of hiring.)
Collocations
employ staff
|employ workers
|employ a manager
|employ skilled labor
Themes
business
|work
|employment
Examples
- The company plans to employ 50 new workers this year.
- We decided to employ her as our office manager.
- Many factories in the area employ migrant labor.
Learner examples
- My father employs ten people in his shop.
- They employ a new teacher every year.
- The hotel employs many students in the summer.
Verb
B1
action
2
Use something effectively
To use something like a plan, skill, or tool to do something.
Usage pattern:
to employ [a method/technique/tool]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'employ' instead of simpler 'use' in informal contexts, making speech sound unnatural.
Synonyms
use ('Use' is more common and general; 'employ' is more formal or deliberate.)
Antonyms
ignore (To not make use of something when it could be used.)
Collocations
employ a strategy
|employ force
|employ technology
Themes
general
|methods
|problem-solving
|core_vocabulary
|work
Examples
- The teacher employed several new techniques to help the students learn.
- We must employ all available resources to complete the project on time.
- The artist employed bright colors to create a cheerful mood.
Learner examples
- He employed a new way to fix the car.
- We employed a map to find the park.
- She employed her skills to make the cake.
Noun
formal
C1
state
3
State of being employed by someone
The state of working for someone and getting paid.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this rare noun form with the verb form; it's mostly used in formal or legal contexts.
Synonyms
employment ('Employment' is more common; 'employ' as a noun is rare and formal.)
Antonyms
unemployment (The state of not having paid work.)
Collocations
in someone's employ
|remain in employ
Themes
business
|work
Examples
- She has been in the company's employ for over ten years.
- During his employ at the firm, he developed several successful projects.
- Few people remain in the long-term employ of one organization today.
Learner examples
- He is in the employ of a bank.
- She stayed in their employ for five years.
- I was in his employ last year.
Grammar
Dictionary form
employ
IPA
GB/ɪmplˈɔɪ/
US/ɪmplˈɔɪ/
Syllables & stress
em - ploy (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ploy)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: employ
- 3rd Person Singular: employs
- Present Participle: employing
- Past: employed
Word family
Forms
employs
verb
employing
verb
employed
verb
Core family
Related words
employable
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
unemployed
adjective B1
unemployment
noun B1
Advanced or less common
employability
noun
Expressions
gainful employment
1/ɡˈeɪnfəl ɪmplˈɔɪmənt/
fixed phrase
formal
Paid work that provides income
A job that pays you enough to live on.
Examples
- After months of searching, he finally found gainful employment.
- Many graduates struggle to secure gainful employment after college.
in someone's employ
1/ˈɪn sˈʌmwˌʌnz ɪmplˈɔɪ/
fixed phrase
formal
Working for someone
Working for and being paid by someone.
Examples
- She has been in the company's employ for over a decade.
- During his time in their employ, he learned valuable skills.