← Back to Fala2Me

unstable job

[/ʌnˈsteɪbəl dʒɑːb/]
nounpl: unstable jobs
emprego instável
1. Employment that lacks security, permanence, or reliable income; work that may be terminated unexpectedly or offers irregular hours and compensation
After losing his stable position, he took an unstable job as a freelance consultant.
Depois de perder seu cargo estável, ele aceitou um emprego instável como consultor freelancer.
2. Precarious employment without benefits, job security, or long-term contracts
Many gig economy workers find themselves in unstable jobs with no health insurance.
Muitos trabalhadores da economia de gigs se veem em empregos instáveis sem seguro saúde.
NYC Slang
gig work; hustle; side gig (modern equivalent)
Synonyms
precarious jobtemporary jobinsecure jobirregular workcasual employment
Antonyms
stable jobsecure employmentpermanent positionsteady work

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
emprego instável; trabalho precário
Most common usage in Brazil
São Paulo
bico; trampo instável
Informal/colloquial usage
Rio de Janeiro
trampo precário
Informal; 'trampo' is slang for job
Portugal
emprego precário; trabalho instável
Formal usage; 'precário' is commonly used in Portuguese labor discourse

Related Idioms & Phrases

hand to mouth existence
living on thin ice
no job security
dead-end job
precarious employment
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →