workless

A man enjoys his workless afternoon in the garden.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Without paid employment: "workless" describes a person who does not have a job or is unemployed.
   • Not involving work: "workless" can also refer to periods, days, or activities that are free from work or labour.

Usage Examples

• (People who are unemployed.)
• (Without paid employment.)
• (A day free from work.)

Advanced Usage

• "the workless" (as a collective noun): people who are unemployed as a group.

  • The charity provides meals for the workless in the city. (Unemployed people collectively.)

• "workless hours": time during which no work is done.

  • The factory closed early, leaving the workers with several workless hours. (Idle time.)

Variants and Related Words

• Worklessness (noun): the state or condition of being without work or employment.

  • The region suffers from high worklessness due to the decline of manufacturing. (High unemployment.)

• Work (noun/verb): the core word; "workless" is formed by adding the suffix "-less" (meaning "without").

  • He found work after a long search. (Employment.)

Synonyms

• Unemployed: without a paid job but available to work.
• Jobless: having no job; a more common synonym.
• Idle: not working or active; can imply inactivity.

Antonyms

• Employed: having paid work.
• Working: engaged in labour or a job.

Related Idioms

• Out of work: not employed; a common phrase with similar meaning.

  • She has been out of work since the company closed. (Unemployed.)

• On the dole: receiving government unemployment benefits (informal).

  • Many workless families rely on the dole for support. (Unemployment benefits.)