ENGLISH
REFERENCE

engagement

n.
US //ɛnˈɡeɪdʒmənt// UK //ɛnɡˈeɪdʒmənt// en·gage·ment
  1. 1 promise to marry (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    an agreement or promise between two people to get married.

    the period of time or the formal agreement between two people who have promised to marry each other.

    Example

    They announced their engagement at a small party for family and friends.

    Example

    After a three-year engagement, the couple finally decided to hold a small ceremony in the countryside rather than a large city wedding.
    • betrothal
  2. 2 professional appointment (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    an arrangement to do something or meet someone at a fixed time.

    a formal arrangement to meet someone or be somewhere at a specific time, often for professional reasons.

    Example

    The professor has a speaking engagement in London next week.

    Example

    Due to a prior engagement, the CEO was unable to attend the charity gala, though she sent a recorded message of support.
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  1. 3 internet interaction (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Computing

    the amount of interest and interaction people show for a post or video online.

    a metric representing the degree of user interaction with digital content, such as likes, shares, or comments.

    Example

    The brand's latest video got a lot of engagement on social media.

    Example

    The marketing team analysed the engagement data to determine which types of content resonated most effectively with their target demographic.
  2. 4 involvement or interest (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    the process of being involved with something or paying close attention to it.

    the act of participating in or being emotionally or intellectually invested in an activity or topic.

    Example

    The teacher tried to improve student engagement by using more games in class.

    Example

    The government is seeking greater public engagement in the planning process to ensure the new infrastructure meets the needs of local residents.
  3. 5 military battle (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    a fight between two opposing armies or groups.

    a specific instance of active hostilities or combat between opposing military forces.

    Example

    The naval engagement lasted for several hours before one side retreated.

    Example

    Historians often cite this brief military engagement as the turning point that led to the eventual collapse of the occupying forces.
Origin

From French engagement. Equivalent to engage + -ment.

Word family

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