employs

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'employs' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing a person, company, or organization's utilization of someone else's services, resources, or abilities. For example, "The company employs hundreds of skilled workers to complete their projects."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Al Khelaifi is also the general manager of al-Jazeera Sport, the Qatari-owned television station, employs Wenger as a pundit and enjoys a good relationship with the Frenchman.

The Guardian - Sport

Narula is the son of billionaire Indian construction magnate Harpinder Singh Narula, and his startup employs 50 people recruited from Google, Facebook, Goldman Sachs and games studios Lionhead and Ubisoft.

The Guardian - Tech

Ukraine also employs internet manipulation as a tactic, albeit a little more publicly.

The Guardian

Analysis The green economy already employs more people than teaching and is growing fast.

The Guardian

Rodgers employs two key words to trigger his squad and himself: "I always say to the players: 'You can either create or wait.' If you're waiting you're relying on someone else, as simple as that.

The Guardian - Sport

It employs limited voice control functionality, but can pull contacts and other data from a smartphone to manage calls and messages.

The Guardian - Tech

Slowly the economy began to move forward helped by tourism, which now employs a third of the working population and accounts for about 60% of foreign exchange earnings.

The Guardian - Travel

I recently left Rwanda after six years as minister of agriculture and animal resources and I am now president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (Agra) a group that views agriculture – the sector that employs the majority of Africans – as the key to driving sustainable, equitable growth across the continent.

The Guardian

The Guardian employs notable journalists who support, or do not have a particular antipathy to GM crops or food.

The Guardian

The NHS employs about 1.6 million people, which puts it on to the list of the world's top five biggest employers, rubbing shoulders with the US Department of Defence and China's People's Liberation Army.

The Guardian

The oil company employs its own librarians at the site who insist that only pre-1976 material on issues such as solar power are available to journalists and the public.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "employs" to describe not only human resources but also strategies, techniques, or tools used to achieve a specific goal.

Common error

Avoid confusing the verb "employs" with the noun "employees". "Employs" describes the action of hiring and utilizing resources, while "employees" refers to the individuals who are hired. For example, say "The company employs 500 people", not "The company has 500 employs".

Linguistic Context

The word "employs" primarily functions as a transitive verb. It indicates that someone or something (usually a company or organization) makes use of services, resources, or abilities of someone or something else. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "employs" functions as a transitive verb that describes the act of hiring or utilizing resources or personnel. As Ludwig AI explains, the word is grammatically sound and frequently used across various contexts. Predominantly found in "News & Media" and "Formal & Business" sources, the word is suitable for neutral and professional registers. The examples provided by Ludwig demonstrate its usage in diverse scenarios, from describing a company's workforce to indicating the use of strategies or techniques. It's crucial to distinguish "employs" from the noun "employees" and use it accurately to describe the action of hiring or utilizing. Considering the best practices and common errors can greatly enhance the clarity and precision of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

utilizes

Focuses on the practical application or use of something, often suggesting efficiency.

uses

A more general term for making something serve a purpose.

engages

Implies active involvement or participation.

applies

Suggests putting something into operation or bringing it to bear.

hires

Specifically refers to engaging someone for work or service.

deploys

Often used to indicate strategic placement or use of resources.

recruits

Specifically refers to enlisting people for a particular task or organization.

leverages

Emphasizes maximizing the effect or advantage gained from something.

enlists

Similar to recruits but can also refer to gaining support or help.

commissions

Refers to formally ordering or authorizing something.

FAQs

How can I use "employs" in a sentence?

You can use "employs" to describe an organization or entity that hires and utilizes resources, such as "The company "employs over 1000 people"" or "The strategy "employs a multi-faceted approach"".

What are some alternatives to using "employs"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "utilizes", "hires", "engages", or "uses".

Which is correct, "The company employs staff" or "The company employee staff"?

"The company employs staff" is correct. The verb "employs" indicates that the company hires and utilizes staff. "Employee" is a noun, so "employee staff" is grammatically incorrect.

What's the difference between "employs" and "engages"?

"Employs" typically refers to hiring or utilizing someone for work or a specific task. "Engages", on the other hand, suggests a more active involvement or interaction. A company "employs staff", but it might "engage with the community".