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

• out of work
• 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

Now there are more unemployed than jobs available which has placed the power back in the hands of the employer. —Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025

Open Jobs For instance, open jobs, when taken with the measurement of total unemployed, will tell you about the size of the iceberg below the surface. —Eli Amdur, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025

While the majority of those labor force gains were from those classified as employed, the increase in those unemployed was largely attributed to those who re-entered the labor market and are searching for jobs. —Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025

The Unemployment Insurance program offers benefits to individuals who are unemployed through no fault of their own and are actively job searching. —Jordan Green, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Sep. 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