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

More unemployed people mean less consumer spending. —Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025

The big picture: The precise number of federal workers who will end up unemployed isn't known — some firings are tied up in court. —Emily Peck, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025

But other religious employers may not offer benefits to their unemployed workers. —Ian Millhiser, Vox, 24 Mar. 2025

Even as the economy began to bounce back and the number of claims declined, complaints about the bureaucracy unemployed Coloradans must negotiate to pay their bills haven’t subsided. —Jessica Alvarado Gamez, The Denver Post, 23 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