Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Committed to be married: Describes someone who has formally agreed to marry another person.
   • Busy, occupied, or involved: Describes a person whose attention, time, or energy is fully taken by an activity or conversation.
   • In use; unavailable: Describes a facility, such as a telephone line or restroom, that is currently being used by someone else.
   • Interlocked or meshed: Describes mechanical parts, especially gears, that are connected and interacting.
   • Involved in conflict: Describes military forces or units that are actively fighting.
   • Attached to a wall: Describes an architectural feature, like a column, that is partly built into a wall.

Usage Examples

• Committed to be married:
  • They got engaged last summer and are planning a wedding for next year.
  • She is engaged to a doctor.
• Busy, occupied, or involved:
  • The manager is currently engaged in a meeting.
  • He was so deeply engaged in his book that he didn't hear the doorbell.
• In use; unavailable:
  • I tried to call, but the line was engaged. (British English)
  • The bathroom is engaged; please wait a moment.
• Interlocked or meshed:
  • Make sure the gears are fully engaged before starting the machine.
• Involved in conflict:
  • The two engaged armies fought for control of the hill.
• Attached to a wall:
  • The porch features two engaged columns.

Advanced Usage

• "to be engaged in/with something": to be actively involved or occupied with a task, subject, or activity.
  • The company is engaged in developing new sustainable technologies.
  • She is engaged with the local community on several projects.
• "to become engaged": to enter into a formal agreement to be married.
  • They became engaged after dating for three years.

Variants and Related Words

• Engage (verb): To participate, to hire, to interlock, or to attract and hold attention.
  • The teacher's story managed to engage the entire class.
• Engagement (noun):
  • The period when two people are engaged to be married.

    • Their engagement lasted two years.
  • A formal arrangement to do something, or a fight/battle.

    • She has a prior engagement.
    • The military engagement was brief but intense.
• Engaging (adjective): Charming, attractive, or holding interest.
  • He has a very engaging personality.

Synonyms

• Betrothed (adj): Formally pledged to be married. (More formal/archaic)
• Occupied (adj): Busy or in use.
• Meshed (adj): (For gears) fitted together.
• Committed (adj): Dedicated or pledged.
• Unavailable (adj): Not free for use.

Related Phrasal Verbs / Phrases

• Engage in: To participate or become involved in an activity.
  • He refuses to engage in gossip.
• Engage with: To interact with or pay attention to someone or something.
  • Politicians must learn to engage with young voters.

Related Idioms

• (To have) an engaged tone/signal: (British English) The sound indicating a telephone line is busy.
  • All I got was an engaged tone when I tried to call.

Adjective

1. built against or attached to a wall
   • engaged columns
2. having services contracted for
   • the carpenter engaged (or employed) for the job is sick
3. (used of toothed parts or gears) interlocked and interacting
   • the gears are engaged
   • meshed gears
   • intermeshed twin rotors
4. (of facilities such as telephones or lavatories) unavailable for use by anyone else or indicating unavailability; (`engaged' is a British term for a busy telephone line)
   • her line is busy
   • receptionists' telephones are always engaged
   • the lavatory is in use
   • kept getting a busy signal
5. reserved in advance
6. involved in military hostilities
   • the desperately engaged ships continued the fight
7. having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
   • she keeps herself fully occupied with volunteer activities
   • deeply engaged in conversation