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
According to Labor Department data released last week, the unemployment rate rose to 4.1% in February, though its timing doesn’t necessarily capture the full extent of government job cuts.
—
Megan Poinski, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Keep an eye on the unemployment rate, layoffs, WARN notices, etc.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
The unemployment rate for Black people is typically twice that of white people.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2025
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate slightly decreased to 4.1 percent in December 2024 from 4.2 percent in November 2024.
—William Lambers, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unemployment
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Megan Poinski, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Keep an eye on the unemployment rate, layoffs, WARN notices, etc.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
The unemployment rate for Black people is typically twice that of white people.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2025
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate slightly decreased to 4.1 percent in December 2024 from 4.2 percent in November 2024.
—William Lambers, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 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 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unemployment
noun
un·em·ploy·ment
ˌən-im-ˈplȯi-mənt
: the state of being out of work
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