engage
gb/ɪŋɡˈeɪd͡ʒ/ us/ɪŋɡˈeɪd͡ʒ/
B1
English
~ 2200
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
Take part in or get involved
To join in and take part in something.
Usage pattern:
to engage in [activity]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'engage with' (interact) and 'engage in' (participate), using them interchangeably when the preposition changes the meaning.
Synonyms
participate (More neutral and common; does not imply depth of involvement.)
Antonyms
withdraw (Means to remove oneself from participation.)
Collocations
engage in conversation
|engage in discussion
|engage in activities
|engage in debate
Themes
daily life
|work
|education
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Students are encouraged to engage in community service.
- He rarely engages in political debates.
- The workshop allows participants to engage in hands-on learning.
Learner examples
- I like to engage in sports.
- She will engage in the meeting.
- They engage in class projects.
Verb
B2
action
2
Attract and keep interest
To make someone interested and keep their attention.
Usage pattern:
to engage [someone's] attention/interest
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'engage' meaning 'attract attention' with 'hire' or 'employ'. Context clarifies the difference.
Synonyms
captivate (Stronger and more emotional; often literary or dramatic.)
Antonyms
bore (To cause loss of interest.)
Collocations
engage the audience
|engage customers
|engage listeners
Themes
communication
|emotions
|education
Examples
- The teacher used stories to engage the students.
- Her speech engaged the audience from start to finish.
- Interactive exhibits engage visitors more effectively.
Learner examples
- The movie engaged me from the start.
- He tries to engage his friends with jokes.
- The teacher engages the class with games.
Verb
B2
action
3
Communicate or interact directly
To talk to or work with someone so you connect with them.
Usage pattern:
to engage with [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'engage to' instead of 'engage with' when talking about interacting.
Synonyms
interact (More general; can be impersonal or brief.)
Antonyms
ignore (To deliberately avoid interaction.)
Collocations
engage with customers
|engage with the public
|engage with issues
Themes
communication
|relationships
Examples
- The company aims to engage with local communities.
- She engages well with younger students.
- We need to engage with these ideas seriously.
Learner examples
- I like to engage with my classmates.
- He engages with his team every day.
- We engage with new people at the club.
Verb
B2
action
4
Employ or hire someone
To give someone work for pay.
Usage pattern:
to engage [someone] to do [something]
Synonyms
employ (Most common neutral term; no formal tone implied.)
Antonyms
dismiss (To officially remove someone from employment.)
Collocations
engage a lawyer
|engage a consultant
|engage staff
Themes
business
|work
Examples
- They engaged a new manager for the branch office.
- The firm was engaged to design the building.
- We engaged a translator for the conference.
Learner examples
- We engaged a driver for the trip.
- They engaged a cook for the party.
- The school engaged a new teacher.
Verb
B2
action
5
Activate a mechanism or part
To start a machine part working by moving it into place.
Usage pattern:
to engage [gear/clutch/machine part]
Synonyms
activate (General term for starting something; not necessarily mechanical engagement.)
Antonyms
disengage (To move a mechanism out of position so it stops working.)
Collocations
engage the clutch
|engage the gears
|engage the brake
Themes
technology
|transport
|work
Examples
- Engage the clutch before changing gears.
- The pilot engaged the autopilot system.
- You must engage the safety lock before use.
Learner examples
- Engage the brake when you stop.
- He engaged the gear slowly.
- Please engage the lock on the door.
Grammar
Dictionary form
engage
IPA
GB/ɪŋɡˈeɪd͡ʒ/
US/ɪŋɡˈeɪd͡ʒ/
Syllables & stress
en - gage (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (gage)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: engage
- 3rd Person Singular: engages
- Present Participle: engaging
- Past: engaged
Word family
Forms
engages
verb
engaging
verb
engaged
verb
Core family
engagement
noun B1
Related words
engagingly
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
disengage
verb
disengaged
adjective
disengagement
noun
Expressions
be engaged in
1/bˈi ɪŋɡˈeɪd͡ʒd ˈɪn/
fixed phrase
Occupied with an activity/task
To be busy doing something.
Examples
- He is engaged in writing his thesis.
- She was engaged in preparing dinner when I arrived.
be engaged to (someone)
1/bˈi ɪŋɡˈeɪd͡ʒd tə sˈʌmwˌʌn/
fixed phrase
Agreed to marry someone in future
To have promised to marry someone.
Examples
- She is engaged to her college sweetheart.
- They have been engaged for six months.
engage in
1/ɪŋɡˈeɪd͡ʒ ˈɪn/
phrasal verb
Take part in activity/situation
To take part in an activity or situation.
Examples
- She engages in volunteer work every weekend.
- The students actively engaged in the discussion.
engage with
1/ɪŋɡˈeɪd͡ʒ wˈɪθ/
phrasal verb
Interact directly with someone/something
To talk or work directly with someone or something.
Examples
- Teachers should engage with students outside class as well.
- The article encourages readers to engage with new ideas.