Meaning & use
engagement terms
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Meanings
nounpluralbusinesslaw
The stated conditions under which someone is hired or agrees to work, including pay, duties, and length of the job.
Grammar: Almost always plural; you agree to or accept the engagement terms before work begins.
Patterns
- agree the engagement terms
- accept the engagement terms
- set out the engagement terms
- engagement terms for something
The consultant and the hospital signed the engagement terms before any patient data was shared.
Please read the engagement terms carefully, because the fee changes if the project runs past December.
nounpluralformal
The rules that decide how two sides deal with each other during a discussion, campaign, or conflict.
Grammar: Used in wider contexts than employment; often appears as 'terms of engagement'.
Patterns
- terms of engagement
- change the terms of engagement
- the terms of engagement between someone and someone
The two parties spent a week arguing about the terms of engagement for the peace talks.
Social media has changed the terms of engagement between politicians and voters.
Common combinations
- agree the engagement terms
- Both sides must agree the engagement terms before the contract is drawn up.
- accept the engagement terms
- She accepted the engagement terms even though the notice period was long.
- set out the engagement terms
- The letter sets out the engagement terms in plain language.
- breach of the engagement terms
- The court found a breach of the engagement terms and ordered compensation.
- standard engagement terms
- Our firm uses standard engagement terms for all new clients.
Synonyms and how they differ
- terms of engagement
- The same idea, but this longer form is more common when talking about how opposing sides interact rather than a contract of employment.
- contract terms
- Broader: it covers any agreement, while engagement terms specifically concern hiring someone or starting a working relationship.
- conditions
- More general and less formal; conditions can be part of any arrangement, not only a professional engagement.
Word family
- engage verb
- To hire someone or to begin working with them.
- engagement noun
- An arrangement to work with someone, or a promise to marry.
- engaged adjective
- Hired to do a job, or busy with something.
Commonly confused: engagement terms or terms of endearment? engagement terms or engagement letter?
engagement terms vs terms of endearment
This sounds similar but means affectionate names like 'darling'; the two phrases have nothing to do with each other.
engagement terms vs engagement letter
A single document that records the engagement terms; the terms are the contents, the letter is the paper they are written on.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'engagement terms' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Engagement terms' are the conditions attached to a person or project, so 'of the new marketing consultant' fits. The preposition 'to' (option 1) and the awkward 'for to' (option 2) do not work after this noun phrase, and option 3 leaves out the linking word needed before the verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “engagement terms”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.