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Prepositions after adjectives

Unemployed for or unemployed in?

Use unemployed for a period of time. Unemployed in is possible when referring to a sector, field, or place, not a duration.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct with unemployed?

Use unemployed for duration: unemployed for six months. Use unemployed in when talking about an industry, region, or area of work: unemployed in the retail sector.

She has been unemployed for three months.
Many workers are unemployed in the construction industry.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
unemployed for + period

Talking about duration

For introduces the length of time without work.

He was unemployed for a year.
They remained unemployed for several weeks.
2
unemployed in + field/place

Talking about an industry or area

In can describe the sector or region where unemployment exists.

Thousands are unemployed in manufacturing.
Young adults are often unemployed in rural areas.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
unemployed for
She was unemployed for eight months.
without a job during a period of time
unemployed in
Many graduates are unemployed in the tourism sector.
without jobs in a particular field or area
unemployed at
He is unemployed at the moment.
at the moment is a time adjunct, not a preposition chosen by unemployed

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using in for duration

Use for, not in, to express how long someone has had no job.

✕ She was unemployed in two years. ✓ She was unemployed for two years.

Confusing field and duration

In refers to an area or sector, not a time period.

✕ He has been unemployed in months. ✓ He has been unemployed for months.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She has been ___ six weeks.
2. Many people are unemployed ___ the mining industry.
3. He is unemployed ___ the moment.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say unemployed for years?

Yes. For is the standard preposition for duration: unemployed for years.

Is unemployed in correct?

Yes, when referring to a sector, region, or area: unemployed in agriculture.

Can unemployed be used without a preposition?

Yes. You can simply say someone is unemployed.

ubiquitous in, on, across, throughout or for? "ugly in", "ugly for" or "ugly of"? ultimate in, of, for, on or as? "unacceptable to", "unacceptable in" or "unacceptable for"? unaccounted for unaccustomed to or in? unacquainted with unaffected by, in, for or with? "unaffordable for" or "unaffordable to"? unanimous in, on, about, regarding or for? "unattractive to" or "unattractive for"? "unavailable for" or "unavailable to"?

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