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

Noting the billions of dollars that Arkansas spends each year on federal programs to help the poor, including Medicaid, food stamps, child welfare and unemployment assistance, Sanders suggested the problems are often too big for a single program to fix. —Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2025

Affordability has always been a consideration when TCUs set tuition and fees, since most are located on rural American Indian reservations with high unemployment and poverty rates, as well as few available jobs. —Cynthia Lindquist, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2025

Personal stories of being fired or dealing with unemployment are all over social media. —Lavender Au, The Dial, 7 Oct. 2025

The industry contraction from the dual strikes has led to significant unemployment for our members and all industry workers. —Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025

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