underemployment
Americannoun
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inadequate or insufficient paid work.
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failure to make adequate or expected use of something.
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.
What kind of economy is India building - one that can match rising aspirations with real opportunity, or one that leaves millions navigating underemployment and drift?
From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026
Analysts at Morgan Stanley believe India will require an average GDP growth rate of 12.2 percent to truly tackle underemployment.
From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026
The fourth-quarter jobless rate for new grads rose to 5.7%, from 5.3%, in the third quarter, while the underemployment rate climbed to its highest point since 2020.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 28, 2026
The unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in November, slightly overshooting consensus forecasts, while a measure of underemployment that tracks part-time workers looking to go full time jumped to a four-year high.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025
The economy faces serious long-term problems: high but declining interest rates, increased foreign competition, exchange rate instability, a sizable merchandise trade deficit, large-scale unemployment and underemployment, and a debt-to-GDP ratio of 135%.
From The 2008 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
