unemployed

adjective

un·​em·​ployed ˌən-im-ˈplȯid 

: 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

• jobless

Examples of unemployed in a Sentence

the plant closings left a significant portion of the town's population unemployed

Recent Examples on the Web

The strategy could also work if one spouse is unemployed without enough 2024 earnings to contribute to an IRA on their own. —Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea, CNBC, 7 Mar. 2025

And people who are unemployed or who work part-time would continue to be eligible for child care and transportation reimbursement after the first five days. —Jenna Carlesso, Hartford Courant, 4 Mar. 2025

At the time, the woman was unemployed and wanted to obtain Social Security benefits, prosecutors said. —Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025

Dorr acknowledges that no single solution to such mass disruption exists, but waiting until millions of people are unemployed is not an option. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing unemployed

• the unemployed

Rhymes for unemployed

• albuminoid
• arytenoid
• cannabinoid
• carotenoid
• epidermoid
• epithelioid
• meteoroid
• paraboloid
• subarachnoid
• underemployed
• adenoid
• alkaloid

Kids Definition

unemployed

adjective

un·​em·​ployed ˌən-im-ˈplȯid 

1

: not being used

unemployed tools

2

: not employed : having no job

unemployed workers

unemployed noun