engagement
engagement — noun
1. a formal agreement between two people to get married, or the period of time duri
a formal agreement between two people to get married, or the period of time during which they plan the wedding before the ceremony takes place.
Roya and Asher announced their engagement at a family gathering in Taipei.
announced their engagement (common verb + noun pair)
The couple's engagement lasted eighteen months while they planned the wedding.
Elise admired the diamond on her engagement ring every morning.
engagement ring (fixed compound noun)
The newspaper published a photo of the couple's engagement announcement.
- announce an engagement
- break off an engagement
- engagement ring
- engagement party
- breakup
refers to the end of a romantic relationship before or without a formal engagement
Grammar Patterns
engagement + to + person
announce + engagement
engagement + ring
Usage Note
Often used in the phrase 'engagement to [someone]' (e.g., 'her engagement to a lawyer'). The noun already implies marriage, so 'engagement to marry' is redundant.
Common Mistakes
2. a planned meeting or event that someone has arranged to attend, especially one c
a planned meeting or event that someone has arranged to attend, especially one connected with their work or an official duty.
The director had a prior engagement and sent her deputy instead.
prior engagement (formal fixed phrase for declining invitations)
Owen's calendar listed three client engagements across two cities this week.
Rachel canceled her speaking engagement at the conference due to a family emergency.
speaking engagement (common collocation for guest talks)
The ambassador's public engagements included a lunch with local business leaders.
public engagements (formal schedule pattern)
- prior engagement
- previous engagement
- speaking engagement
- social engagement
- appointment
less formal; used for routine bookings like doctors, hairdressers
- commitment
broader — any obligation on your time, not just a scheduled meeting
- date
more informal; can be social or romantic
Grammar Patterns
have + engagement
prior/previous + engagement
speaking + engagement
Usage Note
This sense sounds quite formal. In everyday conversation, 'appointment' (for doctors, hairdressers, etc.) or 'meeting' (for work) is more natural. 'Engagement' is most common in polite refusals ('a prior engagement') and formal event listings.
Common Mistakes
3. a short fight between military forces, especially one that happens as part of a
a short fight between military forces, especially one that happens as part of a larger war.
The naval engagement lasted only forty minutes before the enemy retreated.
naval engagement (military collocation for sea battles)
Both divisions lost several soldiers in the brief engagement near the river.
Adisa's regiment prepared for its first engagement with the opposing forces.
engagement with [enemy] forces
The general avoided a direct engagement and ordered a retreat instead.
direct engagement (military strategy term)
- naval engagement
- military engagement
- rules of engagement
- engagement with the enemy
- truce
an agreement to stop fighting temporarily
Grammar Patterns
engagement + between + forces
engagement + with + enemy
Usage Note
In military contexts, an 'engagement' is typically smaller and shorter than a 'battle'. The word is also used in phrases like 'rules of engagement', which set the conditions for when soldiers may open fire.
Common Mistakes
4. the state of being actively involved in something and giving it your attention,
the state of being actively involved in something and giving it your attention, interest, or emotional energy.
The course demands active engagement with primary source texts.
active engagement with (academic pattern for student involvement)
Gabriela's deep engagement with the refugee program earned her a community award.
deep engagement with (strong commitment pattern)
The workshop encouraged genuine engagement from every participant.
The teacher praised Ritu for her thoughtful engagement with the topic.
- active engagement
- deep engagement
- genuine engagement
- engagement with
- engagement in
- involvement
more general; does not necessarily imply emotional or intellectual investment
- participation
emphasizes taking part in activities rather than mental or emotional connection
- commitment
stronger sense of duty and dedication to a cause or relationship
- apathy
lack of interest or emotional involvement
Grammar Patterns
engagement + with + topic/community
engagement + in + activity
deep/active + engagement
Usage Note
Common in academic and professional writing. 'Engagement with' is followed by a topic, text, or community. 'Engagement in' is followed by an activity. This sense implies a deeper connection than simple 'involvement'.
Common Mistakes
5. the process of building and maintaining people's interest in a company, organiza
the process of building and maintaining people's interest in a company, organization, or cause, especially through communication and shared activities.
The company launched a loyalty program to improve customer engagement.
customer engagement (key business term)
High employee engagement correlates with lower staff turnover and better results.
employee engagement (HR term for workforce commitment)
The charity's community engagement drive attracted over three hundred volunteers.
community engagement (organizational outreach term)
The brand uses social media to drive customer engagement and brand loyalty.
- customer engagement
- employee engagement
- community engagement
- public engagement
- participation
more active and event-focused; less about ongoing relationship
- involvement
broader and less strategic; can be passive
- disengagement
the state of losing interest or no longer being involved
Grammar Patterns
customer + engagement
employee + engagement
community + engagement
Usage Note
This business sense is almost always used in compound noun phrases. 'Customer engagement' refers to ongoing interaction between a brand and its customers. 'Employee engagement' measures workers' emotional commitment to their organization.
Common Mistakes
6. the number of times people like, comment on, share, or otherwise react to a piec
the number of times people like, comment on, share, or otherwise react to a piece of online content such as a social media post or a blog article.
The post received over two thousand engagements within the first hour.
number + engagements (countable online usage)
Naoko tracks her blog's engagement rate to see which recipes perform best.
engagement rate (social media analytics term)
Apinya measures engagement through likes, comments, and shares on each post.
Defne's travel videos consistently generate high engagement from her followers.
high engagement (uncountable usage for general interaction level)
- high engagement
- engagement rate
- social media engagement
- user engagement
- interaction
more general; can include any two-way communication, not just online
- response
focuses on reactions to specific content rather than ongoing relationship with an audience
Grammar Patterns
number + engagements
engagement + rate
social media + engagement
Usage Note
In social media contexts, 'engagement' can be countable ('500 engagements' = 500 individual interactions) or uncountable ('high engagement' = the general level of interaction). The 'engagement rate' is a percentage comparing interactions to total followers or views.
Common Mistakes
7. a period of paid work, especially for a performer such as a musician, actor, or
a period of paid work, especially for a performer such as a musician, actor, or dancer, at a particular venue or for a particular event.
The pianist completed a successful two-week engagement at the Vienna concert hall.
duration + engagement at + venue (typical performer booking pattern)
The dance company secured a six-month engagement at a Broadway theater.
six-month engagement (duration collocation for contracts)
Manuela signed an engagement as the lead vocalist for the summer tour.
sign an engagement as (hiring pattern for performers)
The orchestra offered Roya a three-month engagement as the guest conductor.
offer + engagement + as (performer hiring pattern)
- two-week engagement
- six-month engagement
- speaking engagement
- sign an engagement
Grammar Patterns
engagement + as + role
engagement + at + venue
duration + engagement
Usage Note
This sense is most commonly used for performers (musicians, actors, dancers) and for guest speakers ('speaking engagement'). For regular office jobs, use 'employment' or 'position' instead.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/4
Involvement is the most general term — it simply means being part of something, with no implication of emotional energy. Participation emphasizes taking active part in an activity or event, often alongside others. Commitment adds a sense of obligation and dedication: you commit because you feel responsible, not just interested. Engagement, in this sense, implies both active participation and genuine emotional or intellectual connection — it is deeper than mere involvement. Interaction focuses on two-way communication between people or between a person and a system. For example: 'Her involvement in the club was minimal' describes passive membership, whereas 'Her engagement with the community was deep and meaningful' signals real investment of time and feeling.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'engagement' was borrowed from French 'engagement', meaning 'a pledge or commitment'. It came from the verb 'engager' ('to pledge, to bind'), which was formed by adding 'en-' (make, put into) to 'gage' ('a pledge or a pawn'). The word entered English in the early 1600s. The marriage sense appeared first; the military sense (a 'hostile engagement') developed in the 1700s, and the appointment sense followed in the 1800s.