employable

American  

[em-ploi-uh-buhl] / ɛmˈplɔɪ ə bəl /

adjective

1. able to be employed; usable.

2. capable of holding a job and available for hire.

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noun

1. a person who is able to work and is available to be hired.

Usage

What does employable mean? Employable means available and able to be hired for a job, especially for long-term employment. The verb employ means to pay someone to do work. In the most basic sense, employable means someone is available and able to be employed—to be an employee. But it’s most often used in a way that implies that a person is a desirable candidate for a job, meaning they have the skills and experience that the employer wants. The opposite of employable is unemployable, meaning unsuitable for employment. Employ can also be used as another word for the verb use, and employable can also mean able to be used. Example: If you want to appear employable, you have to have a professional-looking résumé.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• employability
  noun

Etymology

Origin of employable

First recorded in 1685–95; employ + -able

Example Sentences

For years, I thought service work would make me look less employable.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

But by last year, AI’s abilities had improved so much Paredes feared he wouldn’t be employable.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

The projects are intended to provide employable skills, as 90 percent of inmates will one day be released.

From Barron's • Oct. 26, 2025

Medha said she knew she was employable, but because of her background, she felt disconnected from employers in the city and needed help to sell her CV.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2024

As an additional attraction, I noted on my spring visit that the Portland-area business community was begging piteously for fresh employable bodies.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich