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

Then again, the unemployment rate that year was 3.8% or lower in each quarter. —Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025

Although job growth has slowed this year, the unemployment rate remains historically low at 4.2%. —Paul Davidson, USA Today, 25 June 2025

During this period of turmoil, Powell regularly pointed to the fact that underlying data, such as inflation and the unemployment rate, were strong. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 June 2025

The Natural State's May unemployment rate was lower than the national unemployment rate, which also remained steady at 4.2%. —Lucas Dufalla, Arkansas Online, 24 June 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