people who are involuntarily out of work (considered as a group)
"the long-term unemployed need assistance"
Having no job despite being able and willing to work.
"Despite having a college degree and actively applying daily, she remained unemployed because there were simply no available positions in her field."
In plain English: Unemployed means you are not currently working and do not have a job at this time.
"After losing his job at the factory, he was unemployed for several months before finding new work."
Usage: Use unemployed as an adjective before nouns like people or workers, such as in the phrase unemployed graduates. It specifically describes individuals who are currently without a job but remain available for employment, distinguishing them from those retired or unable to work.
The word unemployed is formed by adding the prefix un- to employed, indicating a state of not having work. It entered English as a straightforward combination meaning literally "not employed."