Definition

Adjective: - Not having a job; unemployed: The phrase describes the state of a person who is able and willing to work but does not currently have a paid job.

Usage

The phrase "out of work" is used attributively (before a noun) or predicatively (after a linking verb like 'be'). It is a common, slightly formal way to describe unemployment. - Attributive use: An out-of-work actor. - Predicative use: He has been out of work for six months.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• The phrase can describe a temporary, seasonal, or prolonged state of unemployment.
• It often carries a neutral or sympathetic tone, focusing on the condition rather than the cause.

Variants and Related Words

• Unemployed (adj): The more standard, formal synonym for not having a job.
• Jobless (adj): Very similar in meaning to "out of work," often used in official or statistical contexts (e.g., ).
• Idle (adj): Can mean "unemployed" but often implies a lack of activity or purpose, not just the absence of a job.

Synonyms

• Unemployed
• Jobless
• Between jobs (euphemistic)
• Laid off (specific cause)
• Redundant (specific cause, common in UK English)

Related Phrases

• Out of a job: A very close synonym, often used interchangeably.
  • He found himself out of a job after the company downsized.

Adjective

1. not having a job
   • idle carpenters
   • jobless transients
   • many people in the area were out of work