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unemployment
/ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪmənt/
lack of paid work for those seeking employment
High unemployment rates often lead to economic instability.
When many people cannot find jobs, it can cause financial problems for a country.
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.
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
Related Phrases
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
prefixemploy
to give work
root-ment
action or state
suffixEnglish Dictionary