unemployment

noun

un·​em·​ploy·​ment ˌən-im-ˈplȯi-mənt How to pronounce unemployment (audio)
1
: the state of being unemployed : involuntary idleness of workers
also : the rate of such unemployment
2

Examples of unemployment in a Sentence

My unemployment lasted about six months. Unemployment has been increasing for months. The current unemployment rate is six percent.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Where this gets especially interesting is that this age group has the highest unemployment rate in the United States. Callum Booth, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024 Consumer spending has struggled to rebound fully after the COVID-19 pandemic, and youth unemployment remains a concern. Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024 The unemployment rate, however, edged higher to 4.2%, as expected. Sean Conlon,karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2024 The unemployment rate hovers around two percent—a mind-bogglingly low number that, together with wage growth and the army’s hefty sign-up bonuses, indicates extreme competition over scarce labor. Theodore Bunzel, Foreign Affairs, 9 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unemployment 

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unemployment was in 1789

Dictionary Entries Near unemployment

Cite this Entry

“Unemployment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unemployment. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

unemployment

noun
un·​em·​ploy·​ment ˌən-im-ˈplȯi-mənt How to pronounce unemployment (audio)
: the state of being out of work
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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