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Definition of undernourish

undernourish

/ˌʌn.dɚˈnɝː.ɪʃ/
un · der · nour · ish
Adjective:undernourished
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Past Simple:undernourished
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Past Participle:undernourished
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Present Participle:undernourishing
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undernourish Lexical Profile

undernourish Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To provide with insufficient food or nutrients necessary for proper health, growth, and physical maintenance.

Example

"Prolonged droughts can severely reduce crop yields and undernourish vulnerable rural populations."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for undernourish
Antonyms
View all antonyms for undernourish

Word Nuance & Usage

While 'undernourish' specifically denotes providing an insufficient quantity of food or calories, 'malnourish' refers more broadly to providing an improperly balanced diet lacking essential nutrients, even if caloric intake is high.

• Rhymes for undernourish

• Nearby Words

undermine
underminer
underneath
undernourish
undernourished
undernourishment
undernutrition

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Undernourish. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/undernourish
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