unemployment

/ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪmənt/
nounIntermediate
formal

The state of being without a job or paid work despite actively seeking employment.

The government introduced policies to reduce unemployment among young people.

Efforts were made to help young adults find jobs.

💡

Unemployment is often measured as a percentage of the labor force that is jobless.

sociology

A social and economic issue where individuals lack stable income due to joblessness.

Chronic unemployment can lead to poverty and social unrest.

Long-term joblessness may cause financial hardship and societal tension.

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Unemployment can have psychological and social consequences beyond economic impact.

Collocations

unemployment ratepercentage of jobless people in the workforceunemployment benefitsfinancial aid for jobless individualsmass unemploymentwidespread joblessness in a region or country

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

underemploymentphrase
working fewer hours or in a lower-paying job than desired
hidden unemploymentphrase
people who are not officially counted as unemployed but are not fully employed

💡Pro Tip

Economic Context

Unemployment is often discussed alongside GDP, inflation, and labor force participation rates.

Gold Rule

Precision

Use 'unemployment' for joblessness due to economic factors, not voluntary inactivity.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'unemployen' (to be without work) + '-ment' (noun suffix). First recorded in the late 19th century.

📝Usage Notes

Unemployment is often discussed in economic and political contexts. It can be structural (long-term), cyclical (economic downturns), or frictional (short-term transitions).

Word Breakdown

un-
not
prefix
+
employ
to give work
root
+
-ment
action or state
suffix
English Dictionary