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 Words From

• de-em·ployed adjective
• well-em·ployed 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

Models in Israel will have to maintain a BMI of 18.5 or higher if they want to stay employed.

From The Daily Beast

Inevitably, the old visceral “hands-on” flying skills, no longer much employed by pilots, have atrophied like an unused limb.

From The Daily Beast

So was the importance of protest itself, which he vowed to protect from the heavy-handed policies employed by his predecessors.

From The Daily Beast

In fact, the estrogen that they employed did worse than castrate the subject—it could act as a cerebral depressant.

From The Daily Beast

Apparently, the Major Case Squad is employed when homicides are fresh, East St. Louis Det. Gilda Johnson told me.

From The Daily Beast

The Duchess had also a tent for their sick men; so that we had a small town of our own here, and every body employed.

From Project Gutenberg

But not only has the name tobacco and the implements employed in its use caused much discussion but also the origin of the plant.

From Project Gutenberg

If wealth were always thus employed, it were a pity that great fortunes are not more numerous.

From Project Gutenberg

The commander-in-chief still kept him attached to the headquarter staff, and constantly employed him on special service.

From Project Gutenberg

Not more than one adult worker in ten—so at least it might with confidence be estimated—is employed on necessary things.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• engaged
• hired
• occupied