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

Thursday’s U.S. economic data, including falling jobless claims, stronger manufacturing activity and a stable outlook for business inflation over the year ahead, point to resilient economic growth without signs of a fresh inflation surge.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Weekly jobless claims totaled 206,000, down from the previous week’s downwardly revised 212,000 and slightly lower than forecast.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

Weekly jobless claims and the Conference Board leading indicators for July are due Thursday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Weekly jobless claims and producer prices for July are due at 8:30 a.m.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

“Let the flood descend, the flood of Poor peasants and poor soldiers, The flood of the poor jobless multitudes Let that flood descend!”

From "Taste of Salt: A Story of Modern Haiti" by Frances Temple