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

On top of everything, California’s $4 trillion economy is more or less stuck in neutral, with the nation’s highest unemployment rate, no net job growth since the COVID-19 pandemic and severe employment cutbacks in signature sectors, such as film and TV production technology. —Dan Walters, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026

The unemployment rate is now at its highest level in years and household debt is rising. —Matt Richardson, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026

State officials knew federal law ultimately requires businesses to repay a state’s outstanding debt to the federal government for loans needed to pay unemployment benefits. —Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 7 Jan. 2026

More than two years later, unemployment remains high and inflation is still running at more than 30 percent. —Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 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