Collocations for "employ"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "employ" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
employ
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.v
- employ [workers, staff, graduates, researchers, people]
- employs [over, more than] 1,000 [workers]
- the [company, government, sector] employs
- employ [skilled, local, foreign, qualified] workers
- (currently) employed by the [company, state, bank, government]
- employed to [meet, make, protect, design, monitor, help]
- employ the [help, services, expertise] of
- employed her help [to, with]
- employ new [computers, techniques, methods, technology]
- employ your time [reading, studying, playing, watching]
- time [would, might] be better employed (in)
- is in the employ of [an agency, the government, a rich businessman]
- was [covertly, secretly, unknowingly] in the employ of
- started working in the employ of a [grocer, carpenter, local store owner]
- is in the employ of the enemy (faction, nation)
'employ' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
deceptive
- disruptive
- labour
- pool
- professional
- recommendation
- researcher
- scare
- security
- spy
- strategy
- trick