jobless

American  

[job-lis] / ˈdʒɒb lɪs /

adjective

1. without a job.

2. noting or pertaining to people without jobs, especially to those who are seeking employment.

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noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. unemployed people collectively, especially those who are seeking a job.

jobless British  

/ ˈdʒɒblɪs /

adjective

1. 1. unemployed

   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the jobless

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Other Word Forms

• joblessness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of jobless

First recorded in 1800–10; job ¹ + -less

Explanation

If you're jobless, you don't currently have a job. If you quit your early morning job at the donut shop, you'll be able to sleep late again, but you'll be jobless. The word jobless can be substituted for unemployed. Life can be difficult in a city with a large number of jobless people, and it's especially hard for an older worker to suddenly find herself jobless. The word dates from the early 20th century, and the job at the heart of it comes from the phrase jobbe of worke, or "piece of work," possibly related to gob, "mass or lump."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

jobless

New weekly jobless claims fell by 10,000 to 196,000 in the latest tally.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

"I have a lot of friends coming from extremely reputable backgrounds, extremely educated people who have applied to over 1,000 jobs, and have been jobless."

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

The jobless rate has fallen to 4.1% from 4.4% this year largely because more than 1 million people have left the labor force.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

U.S. jobless claims swung upward again somewhat last week but were generally flat as job creation slows.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

But Mom is doing okay, for a jobless person.

From "Maybe He Just Likes You" by Barbara Dee