Employment Definition, Examples, and Common Collocations

Meaning 1：being employed (employment)

employment 🔊

/ɪmˈplɔɪmənt/

the state of having a paid job or being employed by a company.

Employment contract signing scene with happy employee at desk

being employed 🔊

➕

/ˈbiːɪŋ ɪmˈplɔɪd/

The condition of having a paid job or working for an organization.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

em- (in) + ploy (fold) + -ment (noun suffix); originally 'to involve'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of 'em' + 'ploy' = 'involve' - you are involved in a company's work.

📖 Example

After graduating, she was thrilled to find stable employment at a local design firm. 🔊 After graduating, she was thrilled to find stable employment at a local design firm.

🔗 Collocations

full employment – A situation where nearly all people who are able and willing to work have jobs.

employment rate – The percentage of the working-age population that is employed.

gain employment – To succeed in finding a job.

🔄 Synonyms

job (n.) – A paid position of regular employment.

occupation (n.) – A job or profession.

work (n.) – Activity involving mental or physical effort done to achieve a purpose, especially paid activity.

🚫 Antonyms

unemployment (n.) – The state of being without a paid job.

joblessness (n.) – The condition of having no job.

🌱 Derivatives

employ (v.) – To give work to someone for payment.

employer (n.) – A person or organization that employs people.

employee (n.) – A person employed for wages or salary.

📖 Cultural Story

From Latin 'implicare' (to enfold), via Old French 'emploi'. In modern English, it refers to the condition of having paid work. Commonly used in business and labor discussions.