employed

[ em-ploid ]

/ ɛmˈplɔɪd /

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See synonyms for employed on Thesaurus.com

adjective

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.

applied or used; made use of: In the study, drilling with flashcards was the least frequently employed strategy for language learning.

kept busy or engaged with some work or activity: I never feel usefully employed in science except when I'm actually gathering data.

(of time, energies, etc.) occupied; devoted to some pursuit: Working on my quilt gave me many happily employed hours.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of employ.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of employed

employ + -ed² for the adjective senses; employ + -ed¹ for the verb sense

OTHER WORDS FROM employed

de-em·ployed, adjectivewell-em·ployed, adjective

Words nearby employed

emplacement, emplane, emplectite, employ, employable, employed, employee, employee association, employer, employers' association, employment

How to use employed in a sentence

Models in Israel will have to maintain a BMI of 18.5 or higher if they want to stay employed.
How Skinny Is Too Skinny? Israel Bans ‘Underweight’ Models|Carrie Arnold|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Inevitably, the old visceral “hands-on” flying skills, no longer much employed by pilots, have atrophied like an unused limb.
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly?|Clive Irving|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
So was the importance of protest itself, which he vowed to protect from the heavy-handed policies employed by his predecessors.
Eric Garner Protesters Have a Direct Line to City Hall|Jacob Siegel|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In fact, the estrogen that they employed did worse than castrate the subject—it could act as a cerebral depressant.
The Castration of Alan Turing, Britain’s Code-Breaking WWII Hero|Clive Irving|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Apparently, the Major Case Squad is employed when homicides are fresh, East St. Louis Det. Gilda Johnson told me.
The Disappearing Cops of East St. Louis|Justin Glawe|November 26, 2014|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.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801)|Daniel Defoe
But not only has the name tobacco and the implements employed in its use caused much discussion but also the origin of the plant.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
If wealth were always thus employed, it were a pity that great fortunes are not more numerous.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
The commander-in-chief still kept him attached to the headquarter staff, and constantly employed him on special service.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
Not more than one adult worker in ten—so at least it might with confidence be estimated—is employed on necessary things.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock