unemployed

From un- +‎ employed.

• IPA^(key): /ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪd/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔɪd

unemployed (not comparable)

1. Having no job despite being able and willing to work.

   Synonyms: jobless, workless; see also Thesaurus:unemployed

   Antonyms: employed, working

   The government announced a new initiative to help the unemployed.

   The number of unemployed keeps rising steadily.

   • 1934, United States. Bureau of Employment Security, Employment Security Review, volumes 2-5, page 15:

     Several special types of unemployed workers are described. These include nonmodal workers, threshold workers, "the unemployables", and the physically handicapped.

2. Having no use, not doing work

   Synonyms: disused, idle; see also Thesaurus:inactive, Thesaurus:obsolete

   Antonyms: employed, in use

   • 2011 November 12, “International friendly: England 1-0 Spain”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     England's attacking impetus was limited to one shot from Lampard that was comfortably collected by keeper Iker Casillas, but for all Spain's domination of the ball his England counterpart Joe Hart was unemployed.

• unemployment