Engaged — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /in-ˈgājd/ en·gaged

Meaning & Definition of Engaged

Engaged (adjective)

  1. involved in activity, occupied, busy
  2. pledged to be married, betrothed
  3. greatly interested, committed

Engaged (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. pledged in marriage

    "the engaged couple make a charming pair"

    similar: affianced, bespoke (dialect), betrothed, promised (chiefly dialect)
    related: committed
    opposite: unattached

  2. involved in often constant activity

    "I'm engaged right now, so call back some other time"

    similar: active, assiduous, bustling, busy, diligent, employed, hopping, industrious, laborious, occupied, sedulous, tied-up, working
    related: knee-deep, swamped, animated, astir, buzzing, flourishing, happening, humming, lively, thriving, vibrant, absorbed, concentrating, engrossed, focused, immersed, intent, preoccupied, alive, functional, functioning, going, living, operating, operational, operative, running, energetic, vigorous, hardworking, indefatigable, tireless, untiring
    opposite: idle, inactive, unbusy, unemployed, unoccupied
    near: free, asleep, dormant, latent, lifeless, quiescent, sleepy, inert, passive, dead, dull, slow, inoperative, nonoperating

Engaged (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to hold the attention of

    "the challenging jigsaw puzzle engaged us all evening"

    similar: absorbed, bemused, busied, caught up, engrossed, enthralled, enwrapped, fascinated, gripped, immersed, interested, intrigued, involved, occupied, caught one's eye
    related: allured, attracted, beguiled, bewitched, captivated, charmed, enchanted, obsessed, hypnotized, mesmerized, distracted, preoccupied, hogged, monopolized
    near: bored, jaded, palled, tired, wearied

  2. to enter into contest or conflict with

    "the daring young captain was eager to engage the enemy"

    similar: battled, encountered, faced, met, took on
    related: emulated, rivaled, contended, fought, opposed
    near: eluded, escaped, evaded, retreated

  3. to obligate by prior agreement

    "we can't go to the dance because we're already engaged to attend a piano recital"

    similar: committed, mortgaged, pledged, trothed
    related: affianced, betrothed, plighted, promised, swore, vowed, contracted, enlisted, enrolled, signed on, signed up, overcommitted
    near: reneged

  4. to provide with a paying job

    "the wealthy couple are looking to engage a handyman to take care of the estate"

    similar: assumed, employed, feed (chiefly Scottish), hired, laid on (chiefly British), paid, placed, recruited, retained, signed (up or on), took on
    related: reemployed, reengaged, rehired, apprenticed, contracted, jobbed, partnered, subcontracted, enlisted, advanced, promoted, upgraded, kept (on), headhunted, scouted
    opposite: axed, canned, discharged, dismissed, fired, sacked
    near: furloughed, laid off, locked out

  5. to take or get the temporary use of (something) for a set sum

    "my sister and her boyfriend have engaged a chauffeured limousine for the prom"

    similar: chartered, hired, leased, rented
    related: subleased, sublet, checked out, arranged (for), bespoke, booked, contracted (for), ordered, reserved, signed up (for)

Related Entry: Engage (verb)

Engage is a different word from Engaged. The synonyms below are for engage, not for engaged.

  1. to hold the attention of

    "the challenging jigsaw puzzle engaged us all evening"

    similar: absorb, bemuse, busy, catch up, engross, enthrall, enwrap, fascinate, grip, immerse, interest, intrigue, involve, occupy, catch one's eye
    related: allure, attract, beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, enchant, obsess, hypnotize, mesmerize, distract, preoccupy, hog, monopolize
    near: bore, jade, pall, tire, weary

  2. to enter into contest or conflict with

    "the daring young captain was eager to engage the enemy"

    similar: battle, encounter, face, meet, take on
    related: emulate, rival, contend, fight, oppose
    near: elude, escape, evade, retreat

  3. to obligate by prior agreement

    "we can't go to the dance because we're already engaged to attend a piano recital"

    similar: commit, mortgage, pledge, troth
    related: affiance, betroth, plight, promise, swear, vow, contract, enlist, enroll, sign on, sign up, overcommit
    near: renege

  4. to provide with a paying job

    "the wealthy couple are looking to engage a handyman to take care of the estate"

    similar: assume, employ, fee (chiefly Scottish), hire, lay on (chiefly British), pay, place, recruit, retain, sign (up or on), take on
    related: reemploy, reengage, rehire, apprentice, contract, job, partner, subcontract, enlist, advance, promote, upgrade, keep (on), headhunt, scout
    opposite: ax, can, discharge, dismiss, fire, sack
    near: furlough, lay off, lock out

  5. to take or get the temporary use of (something) for a set sum

    "my sister and her boyfriend have engaged a chauffeured limousine for the prom"

    similar: charter, hire, lease, rent
    related: sublease, sublet, check out, arrange (for), bespeak, book, contract (for), order, reserve, sign up (for)

Related Entry: Engaged (in) (verb)

Engaged (in) is a different word from Engaged. The synonyms below are for engaged (in), not for engaged.

  1. as in practiced

    similar: practiced, aced, nailed, worked (at), brought about, effected, effectuated, implemented, reduplicated, reenacted, repeated, accomplished, achieved, brought off, carried off, carried out, committed, compassed, did, executed, followed through (with), fulfilled, made, negotiated, performed, perpetrated, prosecuted, pulled off, put through, actualized, attained, realized, completed, ended, finished, wound up
    opposite: failed, skimped, slighted, slurred

Related Entry: Engaged (with) (verb)

Engaged (with) is a different word from Engaged. The synonyms below are for engaged (with), not for engaged.

  1. as in responded (to), reacted (to)

    similar: reacted (to), responded (to), considered, esteemed, rated, reckoned, regarded, viewed, acted (toward), dealt (with), handled, served, treated, used, was (to)

Related Entry: Engaged in conversation (phrase)

Engaged in conversation is a different word from Engaged. The synonyms below are for engaged in conversation, not for engaged.

  1. to communicate with by means of spoken words

    "She managed to engage the office wallflower in conversation."

    similar: chatted (with), conversed (with), spoke (to or with), talked (to)
    related: accosted, addressed, boarded, collared, greeted, hailed, heralded, informed, notified, told

Related Entry: Engage in conversation (phrase)

Engage in conversation is a different word from Engaged. The synonyms below are for engage in conversation, not for engaged.

  1. to communicate with by means of spoken words

    "She managed to engage the office wallflower in conversation."

    similar: chat (with), converse (with), speak (to or with), talk (to)
    related: accost, address, board, collar, greet, hail, herald, inform, notify, tell

Related Entry: Reengaged (verb)

Reengaged is a different word from Engaged. The synonyms below are for reengaged, not for engaged.

  1. as in rehired, reemployed

    similar: reemployed, rehired, assumed, employed, engaged, feed (chiefly Scottish), hired, laid on (chiefly British), paid, placed, recruited, retained, signed (up or on), took on, apprenticed, contracted, jobbed, partnered, subcontracted, enlisted, advanced, promoted, upgraded, kept (on), headhunted, scouted
    opposite: axed, canned, discharged, dismissed, fired, sacked, furloughed, laid off, locked out

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Engaged

The most common words with a similar meaning to Engaged:

Dialect: bespoke
Chiefly dialect: promised
Chiefly Scottish: feed
Chiefly British: laid on
affianced, betrothed, active, assiduous, bustling, busy, diligent, employed, hopping, industrious, laborious, occupied, sedulous, tied-up, working, absorbed, bemused, busied, caught up, engrossed, enthralled, enwrapped, fascinated, gripped, immersed, interested, intrigued, involved, battled, encountered, faced, met, took on, committed, mortgaged, pledged, trothed, assumed, hired, paid

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Engaged

Words with the opposite meaning of Engaged:

unattached, idle, inactive, unbusy, unemployed, unoccupied, axed, canned, discharged, dismissed, fired, sacked

Related Words for Engaged

knee-deep, swamped, animated, astir, buzzing, flourishing, happening, humming, lively, thriving, vibrant, concentrating, focused, intent, preoccupied, alive, functional, functioning, going, living, operating, operational, operative, running, energetic, vigorous, hardworking, indefatigable, tireless, untiring

Near Antonyms of Engaged

free, asleep, dormant, latent, lifeless, quiescent, sleepy, inert, passive, dead, dull, slow, inoperative, nonoperating, bored, jaded, palled, tired, wearied, eluded, escaped, evaded, retreated, reneged, furloughed, laid off, locked out

Origin & Etymology of Engaged

First known use: 1629

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Engaged

Words & Phrases Containing Engaged

engaged tone, otherwise engaged

Frequently Asked Questions about Engaged

What does "Engaged" mean?

"Engaged" means involved in activity, occupied, busy. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: involved in activity, occupied, busy. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Engaged"?

Other words for "Engaged" include affianced, bespoke, betrothed, promised, active, assiduous, bustling and busy. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Engaged" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Engaged"?

There are 131 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Engaged". Common alternatives include affianced, bespoke, betrothed, promised, active, assiduous, bustling, busy, diligent and employed.

What is the opposite of "Engaged"?

Antonyms of "Engaged" include unattached, idle, inactive, unbusy, unemployed, unoccupied, axed and canned. Near antonyms include free, asleep, dormant and latent.

How do you use "Engaged" in a sentence?

Examples of "Engaged" in a sentence: "the engaged couple make a charming pair"; "I'm engaged right now, so call back some other time"; "the challenging jigsaw puzzle engaged us all evening".

Is "Engaged" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Engaged" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Engaged" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Engaged" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Engaged"?

"Engaged" is pronounced /in-ˈgājd/ and divided into syllables as en·gaged.