noun · neutral
unemployment
/ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪmənt/un·em·PLOY·ment
the state of not having a job; the number or rate of unemployed people
Examples
“High unemployment among young people is a serious problem.”
“Government measures aim to reduce unemployment through training schemes.”
“Unemployment rose sharply after the factory closed.”
Band 8 sentence
“Targeted vocational training is one of the most effective ways to reduce structural unemployment among young people.”
Collocations
- high unemployment
- reduce unemployment
- unemployment rate
Word family
Common mistakes
There is much unemployment in the city.→There is high unemployment in the city.
He is unemployment since April.→He has been unemployed since April.
Say it for a higher band
5no job→6joblessness→7+unemployment
Synonyms
joblessness
Easily confused
underemployment
“Underemployment can hide the true state of the labour market.”
employment
“Employment levels improved after the new factory opened.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Society & Government
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