out of work
Lacking gainful employment
Out of work means unemployed—without a job: He's been out of work for six months.
The phrase emphasizes the state of joblessness rather than actively seeking employment.
As a compound adjective before a noun, it's hyphenated: an out-of-work actor, out-of-work miners.
Being without paid work
- layoffTermination without cause
- redundancyNeedless duplication
- terminationAct of ending something
- dismissalRemoval from position
furlough · downsized · displaced · jobseeker · severance · benefits · retrenched · outplacement
Persistent apprehensive distress
- insecurityUncertainty about oneself
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
- worryTroubled mental state
- stressPressure, mental or vocal
frustration · doubt · fear · self-doubt · depression · hopelessness · desperation · rejection
- debtMoney owed another
- savingsAccumulated money kept
- budgetPlan for spending
- hardshipSuffering from difficult circumstances
struggle · belt-tightening · cutbacks · expenses · mortgage · rent · creditors · assistance
Complete self-transformation
- pivotPoint of rotation
- retrainingAcquiring updated skills
- upskillingLearning new work abilities
- networkingBuilding professional relationships
freelance · entrepreneurship · portfolio · self-employment · consulting · certification
unemployment
Being without paid work
- layoffTermination without cause
- redundancyNeedless duplication
- terminationAct of ending something
dismissal · furlough · downsized · displaced · jobseeker · severance · benefits · retrenched · outplacement · retraining
anxiety
Persistent apprehensive distress
- insecurityUncertainty about oneself
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
- worryTroubled mental state
stress · frustration · doubt · fear · self-doubt · depression · hopelessness · desperation · rejection · discouragement
bills
hardship · struggle · belt-tightening · cutbacks · expenses · mortgage · rent · creditors · assistance · welfare
reinvention
Complete self-transformation
- pivotPoint of rotation
- retrainingAcquiring updated skills
- upskillingLearning new work abilities
networking · freelance · entrepreneurship · portfolio · self-employment · consulting · certification
- unemploymentunemployment, unemployed, jobless, joblessness, unemployment rate
- oustedfired, axed, sacked, canned, terminated
out of workemployed
Having paid work
working · on the job · salaried · hired · self-employed
out of workin working order
operational · functioning · running · in service · up and running