# employment

/ɛmˈpɫɔɪmənt/ (US) · /ɛmplˈɔɪmənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/employment
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. having a job

noun · CEFR B1

the state of having a paid job or working for a company.

For teachers: the state of being in a contract of service for which one receives payment.

- She found full-time employment at a local bank after she graduated.
- The transition from temporary contracts to permanent employment provided the family with the financial stability they had lacked for years.

### 2. hiring people

noun · CEFR B2

the act of hiring someone to do a job.

For teachers: the act of employing or hiring someone for a specific role or task.

- The company's employment of new staff has slowed down this year.
- The firm's rapid expansion necessitated the employment of several specialist consultants to oversee the merger.

### 3. economic statistics

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

the number or percentage of people in a country who have jobs.

For teachers: the total number or proportion of a population engaged in productive work.

- The government is happy because employment is at its highest level in years.
- Economists noted that while overall employment remained high, the quality of jobs in the service sector was declining.

### 4. use of something

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of using something for a particular purpose.

For teachers: the application or use of a method, tool, or resource to achieve an end.

- The employment of new technology helped the factory work much faster.
- The strategic employment of diplomatic pressure eventually forced the two nations back to the negotiating table.

Usage: Often followed by the preposition 'of' to indicate the resource being used.

## Examples

- She is looking for full-time employment after finishing university.
- The local factory provides employment for hundreds of people in the small town.
- Economists are closely monitoring the latest employment figures to determine if the recent tax incentives have successfully stimulated job growth in the manufacturing sector.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.