Unemployed

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɔɪd

Origin

- + employed

Full definition of unemployed

Adjective

1. Having no profession (despite being able and willing to work).
2. Having no use, not doing work
• 2011, November 12, , International friendly: England 1-0 Spain, 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.

Synonyms

• (having no job) jobless, out of work (used only after the noun), out-of-work

Related terms

• unemployment

Noun

1. Unemployed people.The unemployed are a growing portion of the population.

Usage notes

This is not a true noun. It is an example of a "fused-head" construction in which an adjective (or possessive or determiner) is assumed to have fused with an omitted noun which is grammatically required.

Synonyms

• jobless