uhn-im-PLOY-muhnt
/ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪmənt/
unemployment is pronounced uhn-im-PLOY-muhnt (/ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪmənt/). Unemployment refers to the state of not having a job while actively seeking work, typically measured as a percentage of the labor force. It describes a condition where individuals are willing and able to work but are temporarily without employment. The term is widely used in economics and public policy to gauge economic health and labor market slack.
Unemployment refers to the state of not having a job while actively seeking work, typically measured as a percentage of the labor force. It describes a condition where individuals are willing and able to work but are temporarily without employment. The term is widely used in economics and public policy to gauge economic health and labor market slack.
"The government tracks unemployment rates to assess economic performance."
"During the recession, unemployment rose nationwide before gradually declining."
"Many graduates face unemployment as they transition from school to the job market."
You pronounce it as /ˌʌn.ɪmˈplɔɪ.mənt/. Start with a light schwa-like first syllable, then a quick, clear 'in-,' followed by the stressed 'ploy' with /ɔɪ/ as in 'boy,' and finish with /mənt/. The primary stress sits on the third syllable: un-ɪm-PL0Y-ment. Practice by isolating the stressed syllable 'ploy' and linking it with the preceding unstressed syllables for natural rhythm. For reference, listening to native speakers on Pronounce or YouGlish will reinforce the IPA cues.
Common errors include misplacing stress (em-ploy-ment), pronouncing /ɔɪ/ as a simple /ɔ/ or /aɪ/, and slurring /n/ into the subsequent syllable. Correct by stressing the 'ploy' syllable (/ˈplɔɪ/), using clear /ɔɪ/ like in 'boy,' and maintaining the /m/ and /nt/ endings distinctly. Ensure the first two syllables are light and quick, not reduced to a single syllable, to preserve the word’s four-syllable rhythm. Practice with minimal pairs to reinforce the correct vowel and stress patterns.
In US/UK/AU, the primary stress remains on the same /ˈplɔɪ/ region, but vowel quality and rhoticity cause small shifts. US speakers are rhotic, so the final /r/ is not present, but you may hear slightly tighter /ɔɪ/ in some regions. UK and AU variants tend to have non-rhotic accents; the /r/ is not pronounced, and vowel length can differ subtly, with AU showing more centralized vowels in casual speech. Overall, the /ˌʌn.ɪmˈplɔɪ.mənt/ skeleton persists across these accents, with diphthong realization guiding the most noticeable difference.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable rhythm around a strong diphthong /ɔɪ/ and a final /mənt/ cluster. The syllable boundary after /ɪ/ can be blurred in fast speech, and the /n/ before /m/ may assimilate, creating a run-together sound. Also, the initial unstressed syllables /ˌʌn.ɪ/ can be reduced. Focus on isolating the stressed /ˈplɔɪ/ and clearly articulating the /m/ to prevent nasal assimilation into /mənt/. Listening to native examples helps tune the timing and mouth movements.
A unique feature is sustaining clarity through a relatively long word with a prominent diphthong cluster /ɔɪ/ and a final /mənt/ that requires light, alveolar contact rather than a harsh stop. You’ll hear a distinct transition from the unstressed prefix to the stressed syllable, which tests your ability to maintain segmental accuracy across multiple syllables. Emphasize the mid-word /ɔɪ/ diphthong and keep the final /nt/ clean to avoid trailing consonants blending with following speech.
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Unemployment comes from the prefix un- (a negation) + employment (from Middle English emploiement, via Old French emploiement, from Latin exploitare 'to use fully, to take advantage of'). The term employment itself derives from Old French emploi, from Latin implicare ‘to entangle, involve,’ though the modern sense centers on being in work. The prefix un- signals absence or negation, leading to “not employed.” The word first appears in English in the 18th–19th centuries as modern industrial economies expanded and labor markets became formalized. By the 19th century, unemployment tracking emerged with political economy, statistics, and social policy discussions escalating in the wake of industrial shifts. In contemporary usage, unemployment denotes both the condition of joblessness and the rate used by governments and researchers to describe the health of the labor market. It interacts with related terms like unemployment rate, structural unemployment, and cyclical unemployment, each with distinct economic causes and policy implications.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "unemployment" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "unemployment" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "unemployment"
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