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
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
The unemployment rate unexpectedly ticked down to 4.1%.
—
Matt Egan, CNN Money, 8 July 2025
Economists say that immigrants are especially important to supplement the U.S. labor market as more Americans are retiring than entering the workforce, birth rates are lower than during the baby boom, and unemployment is low.
—Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 7 July 2025
In California, statistics show a 9.7% unemployment rate for 20- to 24 -year-olds in April 2025 compared with 5.2% for the overall population, according to the California Demographics Labor Force report from the state’s Employment Development Department.
—Sami Khan, Mercury News, 7 July 2025
As the Class of 2025 prepares to enter an even tougher job market than their predecessors, the unemployment rate for recent grads has risen to 5.8%, up from 4.6% last year.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unemployment
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Matt Egan, CNN Money, 8 July 2025
Economists say that immigrants are especially important to supplement the U.S. labor market as more Americans are retiring than entering the workforce, birth rates are lower than during the baby boom, and unemployment is low.
—Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 7 July 2025
In California, statistics show a 9.7% unemployment rate for 20- to 24 -year-olds in April 2025 compared with 5.2% for the overall population, according to the California Demographics Labor Force report from the state’s Employment Development Department.
—Sami Khan, Mercury News, 7 July 2025
As the Class of 2025 prepares to enter an even tougher job market than their predecessors, the unemployment rate for recent grads has risen to 5.8%, up from 4.6% last year.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unemployment
Cite this Entry
“Unemployment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unemployment. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unemployment
noun
un·em·ploy·ment
ˌən-im-ˈplȯi-mənt
: the state of being out of work
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