unemployed
16 synonyms and 2 antonyms for unemployed, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Without a job, despite being able and willing to work.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use unemployed
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From un- ("not") plus employed, the past participle of employ.
Full origin of unemployed →Frequently asked questions
What does “unemployed” mean?
The word “unemployed” means without a job, despite being able and willing to work. In plain terms, without paid work.
How do you pronounce “unemployed”?
“Unemployed” is pronounced uh-nihm-PLOYD (/ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “unemployed” in a sentence?
Here is “unemployed” used in a sentence: “He's been unemployed since the factory closed down.”
What is another word for “unemployed”?
Words with a similar meaning to “unemployed” include between jobs, employmentally challenged, idle, jobless, nonemployed and occupationless.
What is the opposite of “unemployed”?
The opposite of “unemployed” — its antonyms — are working and employed.
What part of speech is “unemployed”?
Depending on how it is used, “unemployed” can be an adjective and a noun.
Is “unemployed” a common word?
“Unemployed” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “unemployed” have?
“Unemployed” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: without a job, despite being able and willing to work.
What is the difference between unemployed and jobless?
Both describe not having a job. Unemployed is the standard, often official term, especially for someone able and willing to work, while jobless is a slightly more informal synonym used in much the same way.
What is the difference between unemployed and self-employed?
Unemployed means having no job despite being able and willing to work. Self-employed means working for oneself rather than an employer, so a self-employed person has work and is not unemployed.
What is the difference between unemployed and redundant?
Being made redundant means losing a particular job because the role is no longer needed. Unemployed is the broader state of being without a job afterwards, whatever the cause.
Can unemployed be used as a noun?
Yes. With the, it refers to people without jobs considered as a group, as in support for the unemployed. As an adjective it describes an individual, as in an unemployed teacher.