engagement
Americannoun
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the act of engaging or the state of being engaged; involvement: The website failed because of weak visitor engagement.
Voter engagement and turnout were high.
The website failed because of weak visitor engagement.
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an appointment or arrangement.
a business engagement.
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betrothal.
They announced their engagement.
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a pledge; an obligation or agreement.
All his time seems to be taken up with social engagements.
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employment, or a period or post of employment, especially in the performing arts.
Her engagement at the nightclub will last five weeks.
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an encounter, conflict, or battle.
We have had two very costly engagements with the enemy this week alone.
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Mechanics. the act or state of interlocking.
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Commerce. engagements, financial obligations.
noun
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a pledge of marriage; betrothal
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an appointment or arrangement, esp for business or social purposes
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the act of engaging or condition of being engaged
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a promise, obligation, or other condition that binds
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a period of employment, esp a limited period
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an action; battle
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(plural) financial obligations
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of engagement
Explanation
If you are a musician or performer and you arrange for a performance, then you have booked an engagement. You might stand in line for tickets when your favorite comedian books an engagement at the local theater. An engagement can also be a general appointment. A previous engagement is the perfect excuse not to go to the opera with your grandmother. An engagement also means an agreement to get married. The news of your engagement might please everyone you know except your fiancé's ex-girlfriend. A military engagement is a hostile meeting of military forces on opposing sides of a conflict.
Vocabulary lists containing engagement
Bud, Not Buddy
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Richard Nixon's "Checkers" Speech (1952)
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Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"Doing more personal climate action doesn't seem to come at the expense of broader climate engagement," Dr. Ghasemi says.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
The pact will not, however, address bilateral issues like China's territorial disputes with the Philippines, Jing insisted, saying it would instead focus on "rules of engagement" for the waterway.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
He will also “focus on advancing the CSU’s international engagement and strengthening global partnerships,” Garcia said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
They announced their engagement in September last year after Tom proposed in Dubai in front of the luxury hotel, Burj Al Arab, with a host of candles and flowers.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
I open it—the necklace chain’s there, but the engagement ring is gone.
From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio
One new program with $4.9 million of competitive funding available to groups to develop “civilizational self-confidence in Europe” is slated for “research, conferences, cultural engagements, and support for civil society” in wealthy democracies.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
The report noted that several companies that previously banned their technology from military uses have "gradually reversed course," including Anthropic, which the report criticized for having "questionable military engagements."
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
There are five days of engagements which begin on Tuesday in London before moving on to Birmingham, which will host the games for injured military veterans next year.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
The series highlights cheerleading’s grueling physical toll, with schedules so jammed one DCC alum describes her teammates sleeping on “dog beds” in the locker room between engagements.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
“She had marked down the engagements as I said she would. Here they are on the date she died.”
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
