engage

Definition of engagenext
1
2
as in to face
to enter into contest or conflict with the daring young captain was eager to engage the enemy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to commit
to obligate by prior agreement we can't go to the dance because we're already engaged to attend a piano recital

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
5
as in to hire
to take or get the temporary use of (something) for a set sum my sister and her boyfriend have engaged a chauffeured limousine for the prom

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of engage Known for her viral ‘nail salon chick’ character, Johnson-Reyes carefully balances motherhood material with relatable storytelling to keep longtime fans engaged while connecting with new audiences. Ali Lerman, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026 Some residents are just discovering the hidden gem The center also works to engage the community through school field trips. Noelle Lilley, CBS News, 6 May 2026 Their unwillingness to engage beyond the surface means a refusal to examine rap’s layered explorations of life, pride and pain, described through lyrical humor, social commentary and witty wordplay. A.d. Carson, The Conversation, 6 May 2026 This system is made for covert underwater missions, with a focus on finding and engaging maritime threats. Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for engage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for engage
Verb
  • The fact that both CBS News and CNN will be under the new corporate roof, however, makes the involvement of Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf interests a sensitive point.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 27 Apr. 2026
  • There’s something easy about sweet that doesn’t interest me.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Sandwiched between two hegemonic powers and facing an uncertain future, an emerging generation of artists, writers, and designers began exploring new areas of subjectivity.
    Pauline J. Yao, Artforum, 2 May 2026
  • The demonstration also touched on various issues that Americans have been facing including the rising cost of food and gas due in part to tariffs, the war in Iran and immigration sweeps that experts have said contributed to a shortage of agricultural workers.
    Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • How did starting point guard Jalen Suggs make just 1 of 10 shots while committing five turnovers?
    Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2026
  • Sources indicate Gustavson has committed to building a soccer-specific venue in Las Vegas as part of the offer, with the flexibility to play at an alternate venue while the stadium process is underway.
    Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • The vast majority of ChatGPT users employ the free version.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Government agencies have employed an array of methods to try to control the spread of the mussels, in the Great Lakes and elsewhere.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 May 2026
Verb
  • Last summer's One Big Beautiful Bill Act gave DHS more than $170 billion to conduct immigration enforcement through 2029, including hiring tens of thousands of new ICE officers and CBP agents.
    Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 7 May 2026
  • Reluctantly hired to fill in for her is Cameron (Lewis Pullman), a scruffy drifter newly blown into town with some unfinished family business to attend to.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 7 May 2026
Verb
  • Nonetheless, Israel has continued to strike deep within Lebanon, and its army occupies much of the country’s south.
    Sarah Tamimi, CNN Money, 4 May 2026
  • More commonly, prescribed burning is halted because Forest Service staff are occupied fighting wildfires.
    Lauren Sommer, NPR, 4 May 2026
Verb
  • As Mars meets resistance from Jupiter, overcommitting creates unnecessary stress.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 4 May 2026
  • Reports in national dailies La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera did not indicate whether Rubio, a Catholic, would meet personally with Leo.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 4 May 2026
Verb
  • But, even if Church’s propensity to recruit nature for heavy-handed symbolism can seem too much today, something about his work—some combination of thrilling ambition, tact tethered to empiricism, and loving tenderness—continues to magnetize our spectacle-jaded eyes.
    Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • But on the side, Luthen recruits folks like Cassian Andor as key cog in a spy network and works against the Empire in a growing rebellion.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 3 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Engage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/engage. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

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