unemployment

/ʌn.ɪmˈplɔɪ.mənt/

//ʌn.ɪmˈplɔɪ.mənt// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"unemployment" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“unemployment” has 19 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #4,994. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#4,994
frequency rank, English
1,433
“U” headwords
19
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The state of having no job; joblessness.

Corpus desk

Index EN-unemployment · unemployment · English

unemployment · rank #4,994 · 19 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #4,994
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 19 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,433
  • PHOTO-FINISH ugh

Nearest frequency peer: ugh (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “unemployment”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “unemployment” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for unemployment
PropertyValue
Headwordunemployment
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ʌn.ɪmˈplɔɪ.mənt/
Letters12
Frequency rank#4,994
Misspellings tracked19
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “unemployment”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).unemploymentlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “ugh” (#4,993), “unity” (#4,995), “twist” (#4,992). Among 1,433 “U” headwords, “unemployment” is #4,994. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 19 spelling variants around unemployment (IPA /ʌn.ɪmˈplɔɪ.mənt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #4,994 among 1,433 “U” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for unemployment, with forms such as "nuemployment", "uenmployment", and "unemlpoyment". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From un- + employment. The correct English form is unemployment, spelled U-N-E-M-P-L-O-Y-M-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    The state of having no job; joblessness.
  2. 2
    The phenomenon of joblessness in an economy.
  3. 3
    The level of joblessness in an economy, often measured as a percentage of the workforce.
  4. 4
    A type of joblessness due to a particular economic mechanism.
  5. 5
    An instance or period of joblessness.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how unemployment appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Unemployment made Jack depressed.
  2. In 1928, an arrangement was made between the Government of Northern Ireland and the N.C.C. for the construction of a loop line as an unemployment scheme.

Etymology

From un- + employment.

Synonyms

joblessnessworklessnessunwork

Antonyms

employmentreemployment

This word in other languages

desempleo(Español)chômage(Français)Arbeitslosigkeit(Deutsch)desemprego(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • nuemployment
  • uenmployment
  • unemlpoyment
  • unemmployment
  • unemplloyment
  • unemplomyent
  • unemployemnt
  • unemploymennt
  • unemploymentt
  • unemploymetn
  • unemploymment
  • unemploymnet
  • unemployyment
  • unemplyoment
  • unempolyment
  • unempployment
  • unepmloyment
  • unmeployment
  • unnemployment

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of unemployment - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

nuemployment2uenmployment2unemlpoyment2unemmployment1unemplloyment1unemplomyent2unemployemnt2unemploymennt1
Edit distance from "unemployment"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "unemployment"?
"unemployment" is spelled U-N-E-M-P-L-O-Y-M-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ʌn.ɪmˈplɔɪ.mənt/.
What does "unemployment" mean?
As a noun, "unemployment" means: The state of having no job; joblessness.
What are common misspellings of "unemployment"?
Common misspellings include "nuemployment", "uenmployment", "unemlpoyment", "unemmployment", "unemplloyment". The correct spelling is "unemployment".
How do you pronounce "unemployment"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "unemployment" is /ʌn.ɪmˈplɔɪ.mənt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "unemployment"?
From un- + employment. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "unemployment", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 12 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

transactions#4,991difficulties#5,026demonstrated#4,936manufacturer#5,062

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (19 here; floor ≥5).

subsequently19 variantsChristianity19 variantsconsiderable19 variantssignificance19 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list