unemployment

noun

un·​em·​ploy·​ment ˌən-im-ˈplȯi-mənt 

1

: the state of being unemployed : involuntary idleness of workers

also : the rate of such unemployment

2

: unemployment compensation

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

Remote work is likely the main cause of a surge in youth unemployment, a report this month by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found. —Annie Nova, CNBC, 6 June 2026

Putin himself remains publicly bullish, highlighting Russia’s low unemployment rate and development of AI. —Natasha Lebedeva, NBC news, 6 June 2026

Videos and memes lampooning unemployment, corruption and political dysfunction have drawn millions of views online. —ABC News, 5 June 2026

The 2026 State of Reentry Report found that housing instability, unemployment, behavioral health needs, substance use disorders, transportation barriers, and difficulty obtaining identification remain among the most significant challenges facing individuals returning home from incarceration. —Beth Hines, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing unemployment

• anti-unemployment
• unemployment compensation
• unemployment insurance

Rhymes for unemployment

• preemployment
• redeployment
• reemployment
• deployment
• employment
• enjoyment
• underemployment

Kids Definition

unemployment

noun

un·​em·​ploy·​ment ˌən-im-ˈplȯi-mənt 

: the state of being out of work