employment

noun

im-ˈplȯi-mənt How to pronounce employment (audio)
Definition of employmentnext
1
as in use
the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose the employment of the kitchen oven as a storage cupboard had predictably disastrous results

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in profession
the activity by which one regularly makes a living his regular employment is that of a restaurant waiter, but he always identifies himself as an actor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in employ
the state of being provided with a paying job the parents tried to convey to their adult son the joys of steady employment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun employment differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of employment are business, calling, métier, occupation, pursuit, and work. While all these words mean "a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living," employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer.

your employment with this firm is hereby terminated

When is business a more appropriate choice than employment?

While in some cases nearly identical to employment, business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs.

the business of managing a hotel

When would calling be a good substitute for employment?

In some situations, the words calling and employment are roughly equivalent. However, calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession.

the ministry seemed my true calling

When can métier be used instead of employment?

The meanings of métier and employment largely overlap; however, métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted.

acting was my one and only métier

In what contexts can occupation take the place of employment?

While the synonyms occupation and employment are close in meaning, occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training.

his occupation as a trained auto mechanic

When is it sensible to use pursuit instead of employment?

The words pursuit and employment are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest.

her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit

When might work be a better fit than employment?

Although the words work and employment have much in common, work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not.

her work as a hospital volunteer

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of employment Most people think of university faculty jobs as prestigious, as employment that comes with good pay, benefits and strong protections. —Joseph Babcock, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2025 The lawsuit accuses YouTube of inducing Connolly into breaching the employment agreement. —Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2025 The shift from the traditional 22-episode broadcast model to streaming’s shorter 8-10 episode seasons has fundamentally altered the employment landscape. —Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2025 Tony had just returned to employment at the store, freshly sober and needing a job. —Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for employment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for employment
  1. use
  2. profession
  3. employ
  4. application
  5. occupation
  6. tenure
  7. exercise
  8. vocation
Noun
  • The first assistant director, David Halls, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 20 May 2025
  • The Latitude Run Larissa 25-Gallon Wicker Deck Box is 81 percent off during Wayfair’s Memorial Day Sale, and shoppers have found so many uses for it, including as a coffee table, footrest, and even extra seating.
    — Ali Faccenda, People.com, 20 May 2025
Definition of use
Noun
  • The 31-year-old attorney from Brooklyn, New York, kept his profession a secret from the other players throughout the game.
    — Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
  • And in Hoskin’s view, that is true for all professions.
    — Eric Rosenbaum, CNBC, 22 May 2025
Definition of profession
Noun
  • Lowe’s employs about 300,000 people, mostly hourly.
    — Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 21 May 2025
  • Detailing his gofer duties today to the court, Kaplan is known to have left Combs’ employ after a year, in some part due to the violence he is said to have seen.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 May 2025
Definition of employ
Noun
  • Some customers will feel comfortable booking a trip using a mobile application.
    — Miguel McInnis, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • The spokesperson also noted that visa applicants may continue to submit applications and that consular sections are constantly adjusting their schedules to allow for sufficient time to fully vet the cases before them.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 28 May 2025
Definition of application
Noun
  • How will Columbia, over the next fifty years, gradually absorb the student occupation of 2024 into its branding?
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 17 May 2025
  • The Taif Agreement, ending Lebanon’s civil war in 1989, formally recognized the state’s right to resist the Israeli occupation of Lebanese territories – and with it Hezbollah’s presence as a force of resistance.
    — Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 15 May 2025
Definition of occupation
Noun
  • Michele also mentioned that the Fox jukebox musical dramedy series did a cool 800 songs during its tenure.
    — Marina Watts, People.com, 23 May 2025
  • If enacted, the TERM Act would represent the first major change to the tenure and appointment process for Supreme Court justices in over two centuries, with implications for the balance of power among the branches of the federal government.
    — Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
Definition of tenure
Noun
  • The aim was to explore what helps students step out of their comfort zones and what kind of personal insights result from that exercise.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • Pierce & Ward Bar Stool $349 West Elm Pierce and Ward’s collaboration with West Elm is an exercise in thoughtful maximalism, and these matching bar stools add lots of personality to any cocktail hour arrangements.
    — Kelly Dawson, Architectural Digest, 28 May 2025
Definition of exercise
Noun
  • Prevost was pastor of vocations and director of missions for the Augustinian order in Chicago and worked in Peru for several years teaching canon law.
    — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 9 May 2025
  • In Europe and North America especially, the faith of our ancestors has been in a decades-long retreat—pews emptying, vocations dwindling, parish doors shuttering.
    — Christopher Hale, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025
Definition of vocation

Browse Nearby Words

employing
employment
employments
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Cite this Entry

“Employment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/employment. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on employment

Nglish: Translation of employment for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about employment

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