adj Without a job, despite being able and willing to work.
- My cousin is unemployed at the moment, but he has several interviews next week.
- Being unemployed for months made her question her skills.
- Several special types of unemployed workers are described. These include nonmodal workers, threshold workers, "the unemployables", and the physically handicapped.
— United States. Bureau of Employment Security, Employment Security Review (1934)
- He's been unemployed since the factory closed down.
noun People without jobs, considered as a group.
- The charity runs free training courses for the unemployed.
- Many of the unemployed in this town are looking for work in healthcare.
- The government announced a new initiative to help the unemployed.
- The government announced new support for the unemployed.
- The number of unemployed keeps rising steadily.
