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

The jobless rate among youth 15 to 24 fell 0.7 percentage point for the month to 12.7% in June, though it remains above prepandemic levels.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 10, 2026

Weekly jobless claims totaled 215,000 versus an expected 218,000.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 9, 2026

The data indicates that the jobless rate was pulled lower by the unusually large drop in the number of Americans who are employed or looking for work.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026

The jobless rate stayed 4.3% in May for the third month in a row, for one thing.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 24, 2026

Perhaps to him I was someone he ought to look out for, a Korean- American, well educated, solitary-looking, seemingly jobless.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee