out of work

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "out of work" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is used to describe someone who does not have a job, either because they have been laid off, fired, or are simply unemployed. For example, "After Peter was laid off from his job, he found himself out of work."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Is he or she out of work?

Forbes

Are they out of work?

Huffington Post

They're out of work.

The New York Times

"Nobody is out of work.

The New York Times

People are out of work.

The New York Times

"We were out of work," Merle recalls.

The New Yorker

But he was out of work.

The New Yorker

Our employees will be out of work.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

Some out-of-work protesters are depressed.

The New York Times

Out-of-work general managers, Holmgren said.

The New York Times - Sports

asked an out-of-work man.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about employment status, use "out of work" to directly and clearly communicate that someone is currently unemployed. It's a neutral term suitable for most contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "out of work" when you mean someone is temporarily unavailable due to vacation or other reasons. Use "out of office" instead to indicate temporary absence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "out of work" functions primarily as an adjective phrase modifying a noun or pronoun to indicate a state of unemployment. As Ludwig AI confirms, it accurately describes someone who does not currently have a job. For example, "Millions of Americans are out of work."

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Science

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "out of work" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe someone who is unemployed. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase accurately describes a state of not having employment. It is suitable for a variety of contexts, particularly in news and media, and carries a neutral tone. While alternatives like "unemployed" or "between jobs" exist, "out of work" remains a straightforward and widely understood expression. Remember to use "out of office" when referring to temporary absences instead.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unemployed

Direct synonym, focusing on the state of not having employment.

jobless

Similar to unemployed, but can sometimes imply a more prolonged state.

between jobs

Implies a temporary state of unemployment, often suggesting an active job search.

without employment

A more formal way of saying unemployed.

laid off

Suggests that the unemployment was due to company restructuring or downsizing.

terminated

Indicates that employment was ended by the employer.

seeking employment

Highlights the active search for a job.

looking for work

A more casual expression for seeking employment.

between opportunities

A modern expression, often used in professional settings to soften the connotation of being unemployed.

resting

Used primarily among actors to indicate that they are currently unemployed and waiting for next role.

FAQs

How can I use "out of work" in a sentence?

You can use "out of work" to describe someone who is currently unemployed. For example, "Many people are "out of work" due to the recent economic downturn".

What's a more formal way to say "out of work"?

A more formal alternative to "out of work" is "without employment". This phrase is suitable for professional or academic writing.

Is "out of work" the same as "laid off"?

"Out of work" is a general term for being unemployed. "Laid off" specifically means that someone lost their job due to company restructuring or downsizing, which is one of the reasons someone might be out of work.

What are some positive ways to rephrase "out of work"?

Instead of saying someone is "out of work", you could say they are "between jobs" or "seeking employment". These phrases emphasize the temporary nature of the situation and the active search for new opportunities.