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
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.
The unemployment rate for recent college graduates reached 5.8%, its highest level since 2021, while the underemployment rate soared above 40%, the New York Fed said. Max Zahn, ABC News, 6 June 2025 Which makes life even harder for those struggling with unemployment or underemployment and lack of career pathways – the very thing that’s making homebuilding more expensive. Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025 Unsurprisingly, nursing has not only a low unemployment rate but also the lowest underemployment rate. Raul Elizalde, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025 The unemployment rate for recent college graduates surged to 5.8% in March, the highest since July 2021, while the underemployment rate spiked to 41.2%, the highest since February 2022, according to New York Federal Reserve data. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 1 May 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 17 Jun. 2025.

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