Word
unemployed
Phoneticsun·em·ployed, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌənɛmˈpɫɔɪd/
UK/ʌnɛmplˈɔɪd/
Definitions
01without a job
B1 · Intermediate
adj. not having a job, even though you want one and are looking for work.
adj. describing a person who is currently without paid employment but is actively seeking work.
日本語:無職※
“He has been unemployed for six months, but he finally has an interview tomorrow.”
“The factory closure left hundreds of skilled workers suddenly unemployed in a region with few other industrial opportunities.”
Pitfall
He is an unemployed.
He is unemployed.
When describing one person, use 'unemployed' as an adjective. Do not use it as a countable noun for an individual.
Synonyms
02jobless people as a group
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. people who do not have jobs, looked at as a large group.
n. a collective noun referring to the segment of the population that is currently without work.
“The government is creating new training programs to help the unemployed.”
“Economic policies must address the needs of the long-term unemployed to prevent social exclusion and permanent loss of skills.”
Usage
Always used with the definite article 'the' and treated as a plural noun.
Synonyms
Antonyms
03not being used
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. not being used for any purpose at the moment.
adj. not being utilised or put to a specific purpose; often used in technical or formal contexts regarding resources or capital.
“The company has a lot of unemployed capital that could be invested in new projects.”
“The report highlighted the amount of unemployed machinery sitting in the warehouse while production targets remained unmet.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “unemployed” in context.
Verb
01. leave unemployed
“The closure of the local factory left hundreds of people unemployed.”
verb + adj
02. remain unemployed
“Many graduates remain unemployed for several months after finishing their degrees.”
verb + adj
03. render unemployed
“Automation in the car industry has rendered many manual workers unemployed.”
verb + adj
04. unemployed seek
“The unemployed seek better access to vocational training and career advice.”
adj + verb
Adjective
05. currently unemployed
“He is currently unemployed but has several interviews lined up for next week.”
adv + adj
06. long-term unemployed
“The government is introducing new training programs for the long-term unemployed.”
adj + adj
07. registered unemployed
“The number of registered unemployed people has fallen for the third month in a row.”
adj + adj
Noun
08. benefit for unemployed
“The state provides a weekly benefit for unemployed workers to cover basic costs.”
noun + prep + adj
09. be made unemployed
“She was made unemployed when the company went into administration.”
10. help for the unemployed
“The charity provides practical help for the unemployed, such as CV workshops.”
11. the ranks of the unemployed
“Thousands of school leavers are about to join the ranks of the unemployed.”
Etymology
From un- + employed.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/unemployed
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0