n.
- The state of being unemployed, especially involuntarily.
- The percentage or number of people who are involuntarily unemployed: Unemployment has been shrinking throughout the recovery.
- Unemployment compensation.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.