employed

[em-ploid]

adjective

1. given employment, or paid work; hired, especially permanently by inclusion on a payroll.

   The comedy revolves around a beauty salon owner and her newly employed male stylist.

2. applied or used; made use of.

   In the study, drilling with flashcards was the least frequently employed strategy for language learning.

3. kept busy or engaged with some work or activity.

   I never feel usefully employed in science except when I'm actually gathering data.

4. (of time, energies, etc.) occupied; devoted to some pursuit.

   Working on my quilt gave me many happily employed hours.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of employ.

Other Word Forms

• de-employed adjective
• well-employed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of employed¹

First recorded in 1560–70; employ ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; employ ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

The hawks were employed by SoFi Stadium to deter other birds from flying over SoFi Stadium during the game, keeping fans safe from unpleasant aerial droppings and also keeping birds from eating discarded food.

From Los Angeles Times

Conservative MP Alicia Kearns, who previously employed Mr Cash as a parliamentary researcher, said it was "inexplicable" that the trial would have collapsed "without either ministerial or national security advisor or executive involvement".

From BBC

About 30,000 people are directly employed at the company's plants with about 200,000 working for firms in the supply chain.

From BBC

Amorim needs to get a sequence of positive results to persuade the hierarchy and the fans he can deliver the meaningful impact United were searching for when they employed him nearly a year ago.

From BBC

They went to Harrah’s Casino in Valley Center the following week and allegedly employed the same tactics, winning $13,410, according to the release.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• engaged 
• hired www.thesaurus.com
• occupied