unemployment
noun
un·em·ploy·ment
ˌən-im-ˈplȯi-mənt 
1
: the state of being unemployed : involuntary idleness of workers
also
: the rate of such unemployment
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
At the same time, rising unemployment and cooler hiring might require policymakers to further lower rates in a move to boost economic growth.
—
Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 31 Dec. 2025
My proprietary analysis of BLS household data shows that this demographic’s unemployment rate spiked 21 times faster than that of white men.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 31 Dec. 2025
And after almost a year of unemployment and convalescence — plus the eviction that’s now on his record — renting an apartment, even an efficiency, is out of the question.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
Persistent electricity blackouts, record inflation and soaring unemployment have left citizens disillusioned by their powerless leadership.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unemployment
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Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 31 Dec. 2025
My proprietary analysis of BLS household data shows that this demographic’s unemployment rate spiked 21 times faster than that of white men.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 31 Dec. 2025
And after almost a year of unemployment and convalescence — plus the eviction that’s now on his record — renting an apartment, even an efficiency, is out of the question.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
Persistent electricity blackouts, record inflation and soaring unemployment have left citizens disillusioned by their powerless leadership.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unemployment
Cite this Entry
“Unemployment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unemployment. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unemployment
noun
un·em·ploy·ment
ˌən-im-ˈplȯi-mənt
: the state of being out of work
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