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

Still, positive job growth and a solid unemployment rate could prompt a Federal Reserve that has been concerned with slowing in the labor market to turn its attention back to inflation as an extended conflict in the Middle East pushes prices higher. —Rachel Barber, USA Today, 8 May 2026

By Augusta Saraiva, Bloomberg US employers added more jobs than expected for a second month and the unemployment rate held steady in April, indicating the labor market is holding up despite rising energy costs sparked by the Iran war. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 8 May 2026

While hiring has downshifted compared to the robust post-pandemic years, layoffs haven’t risen more than usual, keeping a lid on the unemployment rate. —Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 8 May 2026

That pace of job growth is sufficient to keep the nation's unemployment rate stable, according to Thomas Ryan, North America economist at Capital Economics. —Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 8 May 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