underemployed

Everyday

1. Underemployed means having a job with fewer hours than you want. tree →
2. Underemployed means doing work that does not use all your skills or training. tree →

In the lessons

A formal word from economics and news: «Many young people are underemployed». It tells the reader that someone has work but not enough, or not the right kind. In maths problems, it may describe workers with fewer hours.

Examples

• She is underemployed, working only ten hours a week. tree →
• Many graduates are underemployed in jobs that don't need a degree. tree →
• The report counted the unemployed and the underemployed. tree →
• He felt underemployed stacking shelves with his engineering skills. tree →
• Underemployed workers often look for a second job. tree →
• The town has many underemployed people since the factory closed. tree →

Note

Different from «unemployed» (having no job at all). Noun: underemployment. Formal; everyday words are «not getting enough hours».