adj
Common
employed
ihm-PLOYD
Employed (adj) means having a paid job; currently working. Example: “She has been employed at the same company for ten years.”
adj
1
Having a paid job; currently working.
"You're just looking for a handout like every other—are you employed, Mr. Lebowski?"
— Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (1998)
"She has been employed at the same company for ten years."
"Are you currently employed, or are you still looking for work?"
"My brother is employed as a nurse at the local hospital."
2
Being used or put to use.
"Studies on LLS in recent decades have identified a large number of strategies which are employed by English as a foreign/second language (EFL/ESL) learners and several strategy categorisation patterns have also been established."
— Habók Anita, The Effect of Language Learning Strategies on Proficiency, Attitudes and School Achievement (2018)
"The technique employed here is quite unusual for this field."
"The methods employed by the team were simple but very effective."
"Several different tools were employed to repair the old clock."
How to use employed
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHaving a job, or (for a method or tool) currently being used.
Easily confused with
unemployed →
self-employed
Common pairings
fully employed
gainfully employed
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more employed
- Superlative
- most employed
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She has been _____ at the same company for ten years.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for employed
See all rhymes for employed →Frequently asked questions
What does “employed” mean?
The word “employed” means having a paid job; currently working. In plain terms, having a job, or (for a method or tool) currently being used.
How do you pronounce “employed”?
“Employed” is pronounced ihm-PLOYD (/ɪmˈplɔɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “employed” in a sentence?
Here is “employed” used in a sentence: “She has been employed at the same company for ten years.”
What part of speech is “employed”?
“Employed” is an adjective.
Is “employed” a common word?
“Employed” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “employed” have?
“Employed” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having a paid job; currently working.
What is the difference between employed and self-employed?
An employed person works for an employer who pays them a wage or salary and usually handles their tax, insurance, and benefits. A self-employed person works for themselves, running a business or freelancing, and is responsible for finding work and managing their own tax and expenses.
What is the difference between employed and unemployed?
Employed means you currently have a paid job, while unemployed means you don't have one but are able to work and typically looking for it. Someone who is neither working nor seeking work, such as a retiree or full-time student, is usually counted as "economically inactive" instead.
Does "employed" mean full-time?
Not necessarily. Being employed simply means holding a paid job, whether that's full-time, part-time, temporary, or on a contract. The word describes having paid work under an employer, not how many hours you put in each week.
What does "gainfully employed" mean?
It means having paid work that provides a real income — a job that genuinely earns you money, as opposed to unpaid or merely nominal activity. The phrase stresses that the employment is legitimate and financially worthwhile, not just something to fill the time.
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