underemployment

noun

un·​der·​em·​ploy·​ment ˌən-dər-im-ˈplȯi-mənt How to pronounce underemployment (audio)
1
: the condition in which people in a labor force are employed at less than full-time or regular jobs or at jobs inadequate with respect to their training or economic needs
2
: the condition of being underemployed

Examples of underemployment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The film also shows the value of local businesses and community cohesion in helping to address the chronic underemployment of disabled people. 3. Gus Alexiou, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025 In Monthly Payments As Repayment System Buckles In a world where persistent issues such as child labor, underemployment and worker exploitation continue to threaten and undermine human dignity and quality of life, concerns about AI workers’ rights may seem secondary—if not irrelevant. Luis E. Romero, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025 The unemployment rate rose to 4.1% from 4.0%, defying expectations of stability, and the broader underemployment rate (U-6) surged to 8.0%. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025 The Maine Woodcutter’s Association and the Navajo Indian Council had lobbied Carter to address poverty and underemployment in their regions. Gabrielle Clark, The Conversation, 29 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for underemployment

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of underemployment was in 1909

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Cite this Entry

“Underemployment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underemployment. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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