Synonyms

out of work

Idioms

Unemployed; also, having no work to do. For example, He lost his job a year ago and has been out of work ever since, or They don't give her enough assignments—she's always out of work. Shakespeare used this expression in Henry V (1:2): “All out of work and cold for action.”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

out of work

"At the moment I'm looking to recruit trainee scissor manufacturers, as opposed to looking to put people out of work by investing in more technology," says White.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

While the higher-paying jobs in the figure still have lower transitions out of work even after ChatGPT, AI exposure may reduce the gap in career length between low- and high-paying occupations.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026

The share of job seekers out of work for six months or longer is hovering near highest level in five years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

For example, more than a third of people out of work in the professional-services sector have been unemployed for six months or more, federal data show.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Maybe even visit Blanca after she got out of work.

From "Bodega Dreams" by Ernesto Quinonez

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023