unemployment

noun

un·​em·​ploy·​ment ˌən-im-ˈplȯi-mənt How to pronounce unemployment (audio)
Synonyms of unemploymentnext
1
: the state of being unemployed : involuntary idleness of workers
also : the rate of such unemployment
2
: unemployment compensation

Examples of unemployment in a Sentence

My unemployment lasted about six months. Unemployment has been increasing for months. The current unemployment rate is six percent.
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.
Structural inflation, fueled by government deficits, AI investments, low unemployment rates, growing trade barriers and energy disruptions, is reshaping the landscape for markets, according to Fidelity International. — Justina Lee, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026 If unemployment for this group goes from, say, five per cent to ten per cent, their confidence in the job market, already rapidly trending downward, will dive toward a true bottom. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026 For young people just entering the workforce, high-unemployment coupled with the high cost of living added to their dissatisfaction. — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026 By the mid-1990s unemployment had fallen below what policymakers then regarded as its natural rate, and pressure was building inside the Fed to tighten. — Joao Gomes, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unemployment

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unemployment was in 1789

Phrases Containing unemployment

Rhymes for unemployment

See All Rhymes for unemployment

Browse Nearby Words

unemployed
unemployment
unemployment compensation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unemployment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unemployment. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

unemployment

noun
un·​em·​ploy·​ment ˌən-im-ˈplȯi-mənt How to pronounce unemployment (audio)
: the state of being out of work

More from Merriam-Webster on unemployment

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for unemployment

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about unemployment

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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