recruit

American  

[ri-kroot] / rɪˈkrut /

noun

1. a newly enlisted or drafted member of the armed forces.

2. a new member of a group, organization, or the like.

3. a fresh supply of something.

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verb (used with object)

1. to enlist (a person) for service in one of the armed forces.

2. to raise (a force) by enlistment.

3. to strengthen or supply (an armed force) with new members.

4. to furnish or replenish with a fresh supply; renew.

5. to renew or restore (the health, strength, etc.).

6. to attempt to acquire the services of (a person) for an employer.

   She recruits executives for all the top companies.

7. to attempt to enroll or enlist (a member, affiliate, student, or the like).

   a campaign to recruit new club members.

8. to seek to enroll (an athlete) at a school or college, often with an offer of an athletic scholarship.

verb (used without object)

1. to enlist persons for service in one of the armed forces.

2. to engage in finding and attracting employees, new members, students, athletes, etc.

3. to recover health, strength, etc.

4. to gain new supplies of anything lost or wasted.

recruit British  

/ rɪˈkruːt /

verb

1. 1. to enlist (men) for military service

   2. to raise or strengthen (an army, navy, etc) by enlistment

2. (tr) to enrol or obtain (members, support, etc)

3. to furnish or be furnished with a fresh supply; renew

4. archaic to recover (health, strength, spirits, etc)

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noun

1. a newly joined member of a military service

2. any new member or supporter

Other Word Forms

• recruitable
  adjective
• recruiter
  noun
• recruitment
  noun
• unrecruitable
  adjective
• unrecruited
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of recruit

First recorded in 1635–45; from French, stem of recruter, derivative of recrue “new growth,” noun use of feminine past participle of recroître ( re- re- + croître, from Latin crēscere “to grow”; cf. crescent)

Explanation

To recruit means to get someone to join something. You might recruit people for the navy or you might recruit members for your quilting group. The verb recruit often refers to formally joining an organization or a group, such as the military or a corporation. It can also be used more broadly to refer to getting someone to participate in a cause, formal or otherwise, like when you recruit your friend to help paint your room. As a noun, recruit means "a person who has been recruited." If you just joined the Army, you're a new recruit.

Example Sentences

Soon, the two young men and other recruits find themselves on a bus bound for the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, which Cam mistakenly pictures as a camping excursion.

From Salon • Oct. 10, 2025

A spokesperson for the Marine Corps Recruit Depot said in a statement that when someone tries to enter a federal installation without proper authorization they are required to provide a government-issued form of identification.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2025

Eyer had served with the department for six years in the North Tryon Division and was a member of the 178th Recruit Class, according to police.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 30, 2024

Jenny Jamieson, recruitment director and founder of 2i Recruit in Godalming, said scammers posed as being from her company in October.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2024

The Company of Kedron hath a new Recruit who is somewhat extraordinary & it happened this Way.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• call up
• draft
• engage
• enlist
• enroll
• improve
• mobilize
• raise
• round up
• select