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

Derived 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

Roughly one in six Chinese between the ages of 16 and 24, excluding students, are jobless, according to official data.

From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026

The jobless rate held steady as more people joined the labor force.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

Still, the unemployment rate for those 20 to 24 is appreciably higher than the 4.3% national jobless rate.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026

U.S. jobless claims rose to 225,000 in the week through May 30, higher than the 212,000 reported a week earlier.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

Out on my arse jobless and a mother to support that’s ninety-two and a daily communicant in the Franciscan church.The rent man collects the rents, missus, or he loses the job.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt