unemployment
gb/ˌʌnɪmplˈɔɪmənt/ us/ˌʌnɪmplˈɔɪmənt/
B1
English
~ 1600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
state
1
State of being jobless
When a person does not have a job but wants to work.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is in unemployment
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'unemployment' (a general state) with 'unemployed' (an adjective describing a person). For example, 'I have unemployment' is incorrect; the correct form is 'I am unemployed'.
Synonyms
joblessness (More informal and direct; often used interchangeably but slightly less formal than 'unemployment'.)
|
layoff (Refers specifically to being dismissed from a job, often for economic reasons, rather than the general state.)
Antonyms
employment (The opposite state of having paid work.)
|
full employment (An economic condition where almost everyone who wants a job has one.)
Collocations
high unemployment
|youth unemployment
|unemployment rate
|rise in unemployment
|long-term unemployment
Themes
business
|economics
|daily life
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Unemployment has been rising steadily over the past year.
- The government is introducing new measures to tackle youth unemployment.
- High unemployment can lead to increased poverty rates.
- After the factory closed, unemployment in the town reached record levels.
- Long-term unemployment can affect a person's skills and confidence.
Learner examples
- Unemployment is a big problem in many countries.
- High unemployment makes it hard for people to find jobs.
- The city has a plan to reduce unemployment.
- Many young people face unemployment after school.
Grammar
Dictionary form
unemployment
IPA
GB/ˌʌnɪmplˈɔɪmənt/
US/ˌʌnɪmplˈɔɪmənt/
Syllables & stress
un - em - ploy - ment (4 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (ploy)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: unemployment
- Plural: unemployment
Word family
Core family
Related words
employable
adjective
Advanced or less common
employability
noun
unemployable
adjective
Expressions
long-term unemployment
1/lˈɔŋ tˈɚm ˌʌnɪmplˈɔɪmənt/
fixed phrase
Joblessness lasting many months
When someone has no job for many months or years.
Examples
- Long-term unemployment can make it harder to find new work.
- The program helps people escape long-term unemployment.
unemployment rate
1/ˌʌnɪmplˈɔɪmənt ɹˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
Proportion of jobless workers
The percentage of people who want to work but do not have jobs.
Examples
- The unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in ten years.
- A high unemployment rate can signal problems in the economy.
youth unemployment
1/jˈuθ ˌʌnɪmplˈɔɪmənt/
fixed phrase
Young people without jobs
When young people do not have jobs but want to work.
Examples
- Youth unemployment is a growing concern in urban areas.
- The government launched a project to reduce youth unemployment.