underemployed

adjective

un·​der·​em·​ployed ˌən-dər-im-ˈplȯid How to pronounce underemployed (audio)
Synonyms of underemployednext
: having less than full-time, regular, or adequate employment

Examples of underemployed in a Sentence

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.
Yet just 19% of those grads are considered underemployed, according to the research. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026 There are many people who are unemployed or underemployed. Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026 Most stories have a catalyzing incident, and Our Unwritten Seoul’s comes when underachieving and underemployed 30-something Mi-ji discovers her identical twin sister, overachieving office worker Mi-ri, is distressed enough to try to hurt herself. Kayti Burt, Time, 18 Dec. 2025 Two seasons ago, Ashley brought in the Sesame Street character known as Deborah, who spent a year entertaining comparisons to Grover and Cookie Monster after wasting all of our time with silly conspiracies involving the perpetually underemployed Chris Bassett. Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for underemployed

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of underemployed was in 1908

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Underemployed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underemployed. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on underemployed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster