engage him to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "engage him to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to hiring or involving someone in a task or role, often in a professional context. Example: "We decided to engage him to lead the new project due to his extensive experience."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Mr Booth, a criminal defence lawyer, said: "One of the things I've found very amazing is Dewani could get off an aeroplane and in a short time speak to someone like Tongo and engage him to kill his wife.

BBC

I wanted to engage him, to find out how he felt, but he quickly disappeared around the corner.

Huffington Post

In July 1891, Shaw's column was full of praise for Stanford's capacity for spirited tunes, declaring that Richard D'Oyly Carte should engage him to succeed Sullivan as the composer of Savoy operas.

Wikipedia

We called him to try and engage him to establish the level of risk and he perceived it to be interrogation… He did not want to engage.

BMC Public Health

Engage him to talk about himself and his interests.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Mentions how Capone engaged him to fight a triple-murder charge.

The New Yorker

Leah engages him to teach her the game so she can use its techniques to win back her boyfriend.

The New York Times

Hitchcock asked him to play some of the other things he had written and engaged him to write the score for his new show, "Hitchy-Koo of 1919".

The New Yorker

In 1511 Sebastiano went to Rome, where the Sienese banker Agostino Chigi had engaged him to decorate his newly built Villa Farnesina.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The auditions went well, but both men spotted on Tetzlaff's list of repertoire the far knottier Schoenberg Concerto, and both engaged him to perform it in major concerts.

The New Yorker

A manager in the audience quickly engaged him to sing the role of the hired assassin Sparafucile in Verdi's "Rigoletto" for a production in Schio, near Vicenza.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "engage him to", ensure the context clearly indicates the purpose or task for which the person is being engaged. This helps avoid ambiguity and strengthens the clarity of your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "engage him to" in highly informal settings. While grammatically correct, it carries a degree of formality that might be inappropriate for casual conversations; use less formal alternatives instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "engage him to" functions as a verb phrase indicating the action of involving someone (specifically a male) in a particular activity or role, usually with a professional or formal connotation. As Ludwig AI explains, it's grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

33%

Encyclopedias

17%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "engage him to" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase, although not extremely common. As Ludwig AI explains, it generally describes hiring or involving a male in a specific task or role, particularly in professional or formal settings. While primarily seen in news articles and encyclopedic entries, writers should consider the level of formality required by the context. Alternatives like "employ him to" or "commission him to" may offer more precise connotations depending on the intended meaning. The phrase carries a certain weight, suggesting a purposeful and considered involvement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Hire him for

Emphasizes the act of contracting someone for a specific purpose.

Employ him to

Focuses specifically on hiring someone for a particular task or job.

Contract him to

Highlights a formal agreement for services.

Commission him to

Implies a formal request for someone to create or perform something specific.

Recruit him to

Suggests actively seeking someone out to join a cause or undertaking.

Charge him with

Assigns a responsibility or duty to someone.

Entrust him to

Highlights the act of assigning responsibility or a task to someone with confidence.

Involve him in

Broadly includes someone in an activity or process.

Get him to

A more informal way of saying 'persuade him to'.

Ask him to

A direct and simple request for someone to do something.

FAQs

How can I use "engage him to" in a sentence?

You can use "engage him to" when you want to describe the act of hiring or involving someone for a specific task or purpose. For example, "The company decided to engage him to lead the new marketing campaign".

What are some alternatives to "engage him to"?

Alternatives include "employ him to", "hire him to", or "commission him to", depending on the context.

Is "engage him for" a correct alternative to "engage him to"?

While "engage him for" can be used, "engage him to" is more specific and often implies a direct action or task that the person is being engaged to perform. "Engage him for" is more general.

What does it mean to "engage" someone for a task?

To "engage" someone for a task means to involve them, usually in a professional or formal setting, to perform a specific duty or activity. It implies a level of commitment and purpose.