EMPLOYMENT Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'employment' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of employment are business , calling , métier , occupation , pursuit , and work . While all these words mean "a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living," employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer. // your employment with this firm is hereby terminated

Q: When is 'business' a more appropriate choice than 'employment'?

While in some cases nearly identical to employment , business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs. // the business of managing a hotel

Q: When would 'calling' be a good substitute for 'employment'?

In some situations, the words calling and employment are roughly equivalent. However, calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession. // the ministry seemed my true calling

Q: When can 'métier' be used instead of 'employment'?

The meanings of métier and employment largely overlap; however, métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted. // acting was my one and only métier

Q: In what contexts can 'occupation' take the place of 'employment'?

While the synonyms occupation and employment are close in meaning, occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training. // his occupation as a trained auto mechanic

Q: When is it sensible to use 'pursuit' instead of 'employment'?

The words pursuit and employment are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest. // her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit

Q: When might 'work' be a better fit than 'employment'?

Although the words work and employment have much in common, work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not. // her work as a hospital volunteer

employment

noun

im-ˈplȯi-mənt

Definition of employment

as in use

the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose the employment of the kitchen oven as a storage cupboard had predictably disastrous results

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in profession

the activity by which one regularly makes a living his regular employment is that of a restaurant waiter, but he always identifies himself as an actor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in employ

the state of being provided with a paying job the parents tried to convey to their adult son the joys of steady employment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun employment differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of employment are business, calling, métier, occupation, pursuit, and work. While all these words mean "a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living," employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer.

your employment with this firm is hereby terminated

When is business a more appropriate choice than employment?

While in some cases nearly identical to employment, business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs.

the business of managing a hotel

When would calling be a good substitute for employment?

In some situations, the words calling and employment are roughly equivalent. However, calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession.

the ministry seemed my true calling

When can métier be used instead of employment?

The meanings of métier and employment largely overlap; however, métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted.

acting was my one and only métier

In what contexts can occupation take the place of employment?

While the synonyms occupation and employment are close in meaning, occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training.

his occupation as a trained auto mechanic

When is it sensible to use pursuit instead of employment?

The words pursuit and employment are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest.

her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit

When might work be a better fit than employment?

Although the words work and employment have much in common, work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not.

her work as a hospital volunteer

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of employment Even the United States, whose manufacturers and farmers complained that weak demand was threatening domestic production and employment, passed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act in 1930. — Michael Pettis, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, wage increases have seen employment costs grow by more than 9% per year over the past decade. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Some sought his advice about employment, relationships and life. — Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026 As the inflation and employment data evolve, the Fed will adjust its policy. — Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for employment

Recent Examples of Synonyms for employment

Noun

Davis shared her thoughts alongside a side-by-side comparison of the costume with 19th-century minstrel imagery, which perpetuated racist stereotypes about Black Americans and involved the use of blackface.

— Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Aug. 2026
But experts on the use of artificial intelligence in combat say that line already has been crossed.

— Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of use

Noun

Hogan, who spends the off-season as a graduate student in fiction writing at the University of Houston, seemed to view smokejumping not only as a profession but as a world view.

— M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Looking at passing citizens reveals flavor text about their professions and backgrounds.

— Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of profession

Noun

The landlord was the university, so the couple applied for the lease, vowing to open a lunch counter, support local farmers, employ students, and change up the menu weekly.

— Anne Byrn, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2026
Last July, Kate’s longtime stylist Natasha Archer left the princess’s employ; no one has been hired to replace her.

— Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 31 July 2026

Definition of employ

Noun

In simple terms, the cell can store more energy for its weight and size, an advantage for electric vehicles and other applications where battery space is limited.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
The Missouri Court of Appeals Western District upheld Yust’s convictions in August 2023, and the Missouri Supreme Court later denied his application to transfer the case for review.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of application

Noun

This strategic move undermined the Nazis’ ability to use the monarchy to legitimize their occupation.

— Giorgia Olivieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
Meanwhile, his grandfather – King Haakon VII – and his father Olav relocated to London until the end of the German occupation.

— James Frater, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of occupation

Noun

His tenure included the COVID-19 pandemic, UCLA’s transition from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten and the advent of NIL and revenue sharing.

— Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Johnson’s mayoral tenure has been marked by an inability to work with Springfield, a skill deficiency displayed by his staunch allies at the teachers union and the aligned board members on the CBOE.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of tenure

Noun

Those payloads give crews a visible way to assess where training rockets land during live-fire exercises.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
The potential benefits may also extend beyond a single workout for leaders who maintain a consistent exercise practice.

— Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of exercise

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employments

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“Employment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/employment. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of employment

noun

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Synonyms of employment

noun

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Example Sentences

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Articles Related to employment

Should you 'quit' or 'resign'?

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on employment

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

recalcitrant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

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Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

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Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

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Games & Quizzes