unemployment
Americannoun
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the state of being unemployed, especially involuntarily.
Automation poses a threat of unemployment for many unskilled workers.
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the number of persons who are unemployed.
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Informal. unemployment benefit.
noun
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the condition of being unemployed
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the number of unemployed workers, often as a percentage of the total labour force
Usage
What does unemployment mean? Unemployment is the state of not having a paid job—of being unemployed.Unemployment is also commonly used in the context of economics to mean the total number of people unemployed, such as in a country, as in Unemployment is down this quarter, with thousands of new jobs having been created. The opposite of this is employment—the total number of people who are employed. Employment also commonly means the state of being employed.The word unemployment is sometimes used as a short and informal way of referring to an unemployment benefit, which is an allowance of money paid to unemployed workers, such as by the government. People receiving such a benefit are often said to be receiving unemployment.Example: Unemployment is extremely stressful when you go months without any job prospects.
Other Word Forms
- antiunemployment adjective
Etymology
Origin of unemployment
First recorded in 1885–90; un- 1 + employment
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.
The unemployment rate also unwound February’s increase, ticking down to 4.3%.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
Some question whether four years in the classroom is still worth the time, especially as the unemployment rate for new graduates rises and they scramble to AI-proof their careers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
In addition, the factors contributing to the lower unemployment rate aren’t so cheery.
From Slate • Apr. 3, 2026
There’s a disconnect between low unemployment rates and worker sentiment, said Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026
It was born in the poorest quarters of the city, because of the harsh winter, the malnutrition, and the dirty water, and it joined forces with the unemployment and spread in every direction.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
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.
