unemployment

noun

un·​em·​ploy·​ment ˌən-im-ˈplȯi-mənt How to pronounce unemployment (audio)
1
: the state of being unemployed : involuntary idleness of workers
also : the rate of such unemployment
2

Examples of unemployment in a Sentence

My unemployment lasted about six months. Unemployment has been increasing for months. The current unemployment rate is six percent.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The unemployment rate unexpectedly ticked down to 4.1%. Matt Egan, CNN Money, 8 July 2025 Economists say that immigrants are especially important to supplement the U.S. labor market as more Americans are retiring than entering the workforce, birth rates are lower than during the baby boom, and unemployment is low. Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 7 July 2025 In California, statistics show a 9.7% unemployment rate for 20- to 24 -year-olds in April 2025 compared with 5.2% for the overall population, according to the California Demographics Labor Force report from the state’s Employment Development Department. Sami Khan, Mercury News, 7 July 2025 As the Class of 2025 prepares to enter an even tougher job market than their predecessors, the unemployment rate for recent grads has risen to 5.8%, up from 4.6% last year. Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for unemployment

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unemployment was in 1789

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Cite this Entry

“Unemployment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unemployment. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

unemployment

noun
un·​em·​ploy·​ment ˌən-im-ˈplȯi-mənt How to pronounce unemployment (audio)
: the state of being out of work
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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