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
At issue is a long-running effort to help disadvantaged students of color in Los Angeles by providing somewhat smaller classes to the vast majority of schools — leaving out campuses with larger numbers of white students.
—
Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
The majority of students, about 68%, are Hispanic, while 76% of students are identified as economically disadvantaged.
—Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Feb. 2026
According to state data, 73% of Kansas school buildings have a large enough proportion of disadvantaged pupils to qualify for the federal program.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 15 Feb. 2026
Policymakers should compel Big Tech to develop long-term partnerships with disadvantaged school districts that focus on upskilling educators through ongoing AI training and providing students with access to free AI tools and resources.
—Jerel Ezell, Fortune, 14 Feb. 2026
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.
Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
The majority of students, about 68%, are Hispanic, while 76% of students are identified as economically disadvantaged.
—Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Feb. 2026
According to state data, 73% of Kansas school buildings have a large enough proportion of disadvantaged pupils to qualify for the federal program.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 15 Feb. 2026
Policymakers should compel Big Tech to develop long-term partnerships with disadvantaged school districts that focus on upskilling educators through ongoing AI training and providing students with access to free AI tools and resources.
—Jerel Ezell, Fortune, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disadvantaged
Cite this Entry
“Disadvantaged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disadvantaged. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
