disadvantaged
adjective
dis·ad·van·taged
ˌdis-əd-ˈvan-tijd 
: lacking in the basic resources or conditions (such as standard housing, medical and educational facilities, and civil rights) believed to be necessary for an equal position in society
Examples of disadvantaged in a Sentence
The program provides aid for economically disadvantaged groups.
disadvantaged families struggling to get by will be benefited by changes in the tax code
Recent Examples on the Web
The Salesforce Foundation, which had roughly $400 million in assets by the end of 2023, aims to help disadvantaged students, mainly by trying to improve tech literacy and college preparation.
—
Dave Smith, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
The $7 billion Solar for All program was announced in 2023 as part of the Inflation Reduction Act and was designed to help state and local governments expand access to solar power in low-income and disadvantaged communities.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2025
The Department of Education’s principal function in K-12 schools is to protect our most vulnerable students, including students who are disabled and economically disadvantaged.
—Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Oct. 2025
Third, punishing parents with fines can make existing inequalities worse, since youth from disadvantaged backgrounds are more often cited for minor offenses such as curfew violations.
—Caitlin Cavanagh, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disadvantaged
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Dave Smith, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
The $7 billion Solar for All program was announced in 2023 as part of the Inflation Reduction Act and was designed to help state and local governments expand access to solar power in low-income and disadvantaged communities.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2025
The Department of Education’s principal function in K-12 schools is to protect our most vulnerable students, including students who are disabled and economically disadvantaged.
—Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Oct. 2025
Third, punishing parents with fines can make existing inequalities worse, since youth from disadvantaged backgrounds are more often cited for minor offenses such as curfew violations.
—Caitlin Cavanagh, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disadvantaged
Cite this Entry
“Disadvantaged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disadvantaged. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share