full employment

British  

noun

1. a state in which the labour force and other economic resources of a country are utilized to their maximum

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full employment Cultural  

1. The condition that exists when all who want work can find jobs. Because some individuals will always be between jobs, full employment does not mean that one hundred percent of the workforce is employed. Rather, it is customarily defined as ninety-six percent of the total potential workforce.

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Example Sentences

Other economists think the economy is at full employment, with most workers who want one having a job.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

He acknowledged that this was partly because the Federal Reserve needs independence to perform its duties as a central bank that fights inflation and seeks full employment.

From Slate • Jan. 21, 2026

Powell said the dissents were a reflection of an unusual, “persistent” tension between the Fed’s dual aims of both keeping inflation under control and ensuring full employment.

From Barron's • Dec. 11, 2025

Powell told reporters in Washington on Wednesday, following the Fed’s third consecutive rate cut since the summer, that the risks to its twin mandate of full employment and stable prices are largely in balance.

From Barron's • Dec. 11, 2025

Mechanics can here obtain full employment, and they are able to earn from forty to fifty-four shillings a week.

From Travels in North America, From Modern Writers With Remarks and Observations; Exhibiting a Connected View of the Geography and Present State of that Quarter of the Globe by Bingley, William