engaged
Americanadjective
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busy or occupied; involved.
deeply engaged in conversation.
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pledged to be married; betrothed.
an engaged couple.
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under engagement; pledged.
an engaged contractor.
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entered into conflict with.
desperately engaged armies.
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Mechanics.
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(of wheels) in gear with each other.
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Architecture. (of a distinct member) built so as to be truly or seemingly attached in part to the structure before which it stands.
an engaged column.
adjective
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pledged to be married; betrothed
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employed, occupied, or busy
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architect built against or attached to a wall or similar structure
an engaged column
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(of a telephone line) already in use
Other Word Forms
- engagedly adverb
- engagedness noun
- unengaged adjective
Etymology
Origin of engaged
Explanation
Engaged means fully occupied or having your full attention. An engaged reader really focuses on the words and maybe even jots down questions or comments in the pages' margins. If you're busy or involved with something, you're engaged in it. A formal reply to an invitation to lunch might be, "I'm sorry, I'm otherwise engaged" — meaning you already have plans. Engaged often describes people who have committed to getting married. You can see this meaning in the word's origin, the French word engagier, meaning "to pledge."
Vocabulary lists containing engaged
Michelle Obama's final address as First Lady (2017)
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"What Is News?" and "How to Detect Bias in the News"
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The Great Gilly Hopkins
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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.
“American Airlines is not engaged with or interested in any discussions regarding a merger with United Airlines,” the company said in a statement late Friday.
From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026
On Friday, American Airlines said it “is not engaged with or interested in any discussions regarding a merger with United.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
Anthropic found that the model engaged in a behavior called “alignment faking” — deliberately disguising its true reasoning and dangerous capabilities to avoid being restricted by people.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026
HS2 said they engaged regularly with the local community and tried to minimise the local impact of the works.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
“Both the incredible pace and the inside dope make you feel important, fully engaged, on an adrenaline high much of the time. Clearly it was addictive.”
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
