underemployed

adjective

un·​der·​em·​ployed ˌən-dər-im-ˈplȯid How to pronounce underemployed (audio)
: having less than full-time, regular, or adequate employment

Examples of underemployed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Help disadvantaged populations with job training and support for the underemployed and unemployed youth and adults. Silvia Solis, The Arizona Republic, 29 Oct. 2024 The report also delves into how to help adults enroll in or return to college, such as: 🗣 Allocating resources to offer college and career advising to underemployed and unemployed residents. Steph Solis, Axios, 16 Oct. 2024 The scholars Alexander Betts and Paul Collier, for example, have argued in Foreign Affairs for giving underemployed refugees in Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp the chance to work in a nearby special economic zone. Nicholas Van Hear, Foreign Affairs, 17 Oct. 2017 Erica Tay, an economist at Maybank Investment Banking Group, said that since China considers employment as working at least one hour per week, there’s no way to account for underemployed youth. Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for underemployed 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'underemployed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of underemployed was in 1908

Dictionary Entries Near underemployed

Cite this Entry

“Underemployed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underemployed. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on underemployed

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