| Usage | British English (BrE) | American English (AmE) |
| To use an item (short-term) | Hire | Rent |
| To live in/use property (long-term) | Rent (or Let) | Rent |
| To employ a person | Hire | Hire |
Short-Term Use of Objects (Vehicles, Equipment)
This is the area where the difference is most noticeable.
| Situation | British English (BrE) | American English (AmE) |
| Getting a car for a holiday | We hired a car for our week in Scotland. (Car hire) | We rented a car for our week in Florida. (Car rental) |
| Getting machinery for a job | He went to the shop to hire a large drill. | He went to the shop to rent a large drill. |
| Getting a bike for the day | The bikes are available for hire by the hour. | The bikes are available for rent by the hour. |
| Getting clothing for an event | I need to hire a tuxedo for the wedding. | I need to rent a tuxedo for the wedding. |
Note: In AmE, if you say you "hired a car," it can often imply that you hired the car and a driver.
Long-Term Use of Property (Real Estate)
This usage is consistent across both major dialects.
| Situation | British English (BrE) | American English (AmE) |
| Living in a flat/apartment | I rent a small flat in London. | I rent a small apartment in New York. |
| The price of the property | The monthly rent is quite expensive. | The monthly rent is quite expensive. |
| The owner's perspective | The landlord decided to let his property to a student. (They rent it to someone.) | The landlord decided to rent his property to a student. (They rent it out.) |
Employing a Person (A Service)
This usage is consistent across both major dialects, and usually always uses hire.
| Situation | British English (BrE) | American English (AmE) |
| Giving someone a job | We need to hire a new marketing director. | We need to hire a new marketing director. |
| Getting help for a project | They hired a contractor to renovate the kitchen. | They hired a contractor to renovate the kitchen. |
| Getting a professional service | I might need to hire a lawyer for this case. | I might need to hire a lawyer for this case. |
| The action of starting a job | I was offered a job and accepted the hire immediately. | I was offered a job and accepted the hire immediately. |
