unemployed

adjective

un·​em·​ployed ˌən-im-ˈplȯid 

: 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

Synonyms of unemployed

• out of work
• jobless

Examples of unemployed in a Sentence

the plant closings left a significant portion of the town's population unemployed

Recent Examples on the Web

In one panel, children maimed or exhausted by labor stare out bleakly; in another, unemployed men in a small industrial town sit or stand around. —Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026

Three-quarters were unemployed and about the same proportion had a family income of less than $25,000 per year. —Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 8 Apr. 2026

Layoffs in Houston's tech sector are forcing many unemployed workers to sell off their collections, which the store buys at a discount and resells. —Andrew Schneider, NPR, 7 Apr. 2026

Borrowers who need to prolong their grace period can request deferments and forbearances, including ones for those who are unemployed — but interest may continue to accrue. —Annie Nova, CNBC, 6 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing unemployed

• the unemployed

Rhymes for unemployed

• albuminoid
• arytenoid
• cannabinoid
• carotenoid
• epidermoid
• epithelioid
• meteoroid
• paraboloid
• subarachnoid
• underemployed
• adenoid
• alkaloid

Kids Definition

unemployed

adjective

un·​em·​ployed ˌən-im-ˈplȯid 

1

: not being used

unemployed tools

2

: not employed : having no job

unemployed workers

unemployed noun