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

If Americans cut back on spending elsewhere in response to more expensive gas, the economy could slow and unemployment may rise. —Arkansas Online, 11 Apr. 2026

In fact, the GOP has made things worse, with tax policies favoring corporations over working people, a refusal to expand health access through Medicaid and keeping some of the lowest unemployment benefits of any state. —Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026

Employees also applied for unemployment benefits, but Patel said his are still not yet approved. —Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026

How to look at the AI revolution George Mason University economist Alex Tabarrok told Fortune that a world with 40% unemployment because of AI and a world with a three-day workweek are essentially the same scenario. —Diane Brady, Fortune, 10 Apr. 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