unemployed someone who is unemployed does not have a job:
Fifty per cent of the men in this town are unemployed.
out of work unemployed, especially for a long period of time, when you had a job before:
I’ve been out of work for two years.
redundant British English if someone is redundant, they have been told that they no longer have a job:
He was made redundant earlier this year.
redundant miners
be on the dole British English, be on welfare/on unemployment American English to be receiving money from the government because you do not have a job:
I didn’t want to go back on the dole.
Many people on welfare don’t have anyone to take care of the kids while they train for a job.
be looking for work if someone is looking for work, they do not have a job and are trying to find one:
How long have you been looking for work?
jobless people who are jobless do not have jobs – used especially in news reports:
The jobless totals have risen by 6% in the last year.
jobless youths

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

on the dole
to be receiving welfare
This area is very poor and there are many people on the dole who live here.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

on the dole
adv. phr. Drawing unemployment benefits.
When Jim lost his job he got on the dole and is still on it.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲