food insecurity

noun

plural food insecurities

: the fact or an instance of being unable to consistently access or afford adequate food

The USDA defines food insecurity as a household's inability to provide enough food for each person to live an active, healthy lifestyle. Food insecurity can also occur when there is an abundance of processed, pre-packaged, calorie-dense foods, because these foods do not contain adequate nutrition.

—The Northeast Mississippi (Tupelo) Daily Journal

The federal government often allocates funds to help citizens facing food insecurity and other socio-economic hardships …

—Yssis Cano-Santiago

This past year has laid bare concerns about food insecurities in this country. The pandemic has led to shortages in the grocery store on essential items like toilet paper and meat.

—Amanda Radke

Food insecurity is linked to numerous situations, including poverty, job layoffs and living in food deserts …

—Lelia Durand

Examples of food insecurity in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Those three dimensions were evaluated using 30 metrics, including the physical health of the population, sleep rates, food insecurity, commute times, income growth rate, average leisure time per person, safety, and more. —Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2026

And while famine has not yet emerged, food insecurity has increased, with most Cubans eating a limited diet and skipping meals. —Joseph J. Gonzalez, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026

As much as 40% of the nation faces food insecurity, according to the World Food Programme. —Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026

For instance, one friend, Jill, told me that at her daughter Harper’s eighth birthday party, instead of offering goody bags to guests, Harper and her friends filled bags with food, relay-race style, to donate to families struggling with food insecurity. —Mandy Len Catron, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for food insecurity

• biosecurity
• cybersecurity
• immaturity
• prematurity
• impurity
• maturity
• obscurity
• security
• purity
• surety