unemployed

adjective

un·​em·​ployed ˌən-im-ˈplȯid How to pronounce unemployed (audio)
Synonyms of unemployednext
: not employed:
a
: not being used
unemployed machines
b
: not engaged in a gainful occupation
an unemployed teacher seeking work
15% of the workforce was unemployed.
c
: not invested
unemployed capital
unemployed noun

Synonyms of unemployed

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Examples of unemployed in a Sentence

the plant closings left a significant portion of the town's population unemployed
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Examples of financial situation changes include job loss, significant pay cuts, high out-of-pocket medical or dental costs, divorce or a family member becoming unemployed. — Amy Deyoung, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026 Most of the people who sell their plasma tend to be under 35, unemployed, without a college degree, Black and male, according to a 2021 study based on two proprietary national surveys conducted between 2018 and 2021. — Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026 When the Great Depression shuttered factories, unemployed workers lined up at soup kitchens. — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026 This includes not only people who are unemployed and looking for a job, but also those who are involuntarily working part-time and who are earning poverty-level wages, or less than $26,000 annually before taxes. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unemployed

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unemployed was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing unemployed

Rhymes for unemployed

See All Rhymes for unemployed

Browse Nearby Words

unemployable
unemployed
unemployment
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unemployed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unemployed. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

unemployed

adjective
un·​em·​ployed ˌən-im-ˈplȯid How to pronounce unemployed (audio)
1
: not being used
unemployed tools
2
: not employed : having no job
unemployed workers
unemployed noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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