unemployed

adjective

un·​em·​ployed ˌən-im-ˈplȯid How to pronounce unemployed (audio)
: not employed:
a
: not being used
unemployed machines
b
: not engaged in a gainful occupation
an unemployed teacher seeking work
15% of the workforce was unemployed.
c
: not invested
unemployed capital
unemployed noun

Examples of unemployed in a Sentence

the plant closings left a significant portion of the town's population unemployed
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.
With fewer businesses hiring, recently unemployed people face a harder time finding a new job. Erica E. Phillips, Hartford Courant, 13 May 2025 Summers predicted such a downturn would leave an additional 2 million Americans unemployed, a more than 28% increase from the 7.1 million unemployed Americans in March, and a $5,000 or greater decline in annual household income. Derek Saul, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025 Corby’s plan is to use the day pretending to job hunt, though in truth he’s resigned to being unemployed after being laid off the year before from his position as a commercial artist at an ad agency. Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2025 But that could prove difficult if more people are unemployed, said Qiu Dongxiao, head of the economics department at Lingnan University in Hong Kong. Qilai Shen, New York Times, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for unemployed

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unemployed was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unemployed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unemployed. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

unemployed

adjective
un·​em·​ployed ˌən-im-ˈplȯid How to pronounce unemployed (audio)
1
: not being used
unemployed tools
2
: not employed : having no job
unemployed workers
unemployed noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unemployed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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