# jobless

/ˈdʒɑbɫəs/ (US) · /dʒˈɒbləs/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/jobless
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

not having a job when you want one. It describes people who are looking for work but do not have a position yet.

For teachers: lacking employment; without a paid job. Often used to describe the status of a specific population or the general state of the economy.

## Examples

- Many jobless workers are looking for new opportunities.
- The government introduced new training programs to help jobless residents return to the workforce.
- Economists warned that a sudden increase in the jobless rate could lead to a significant decline in consumer spending across the region.

## Pitfalls

- Not "the joblesses" but "the jobless" — When using an adjective as a collective noun for a group of people, it does not take a plural 's'.

## Usage notes

- Often used with the definite article 'the' to refer to unemployed people as a group.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.