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

Examples of food insecurity in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

About 25% of military families experience food insecurity, which is really a symptom of their broader financial stress, and about 25% of military families also report having less than $500 in savings, according to the National Military Family Association. —ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025

This gives our students the chance to share a favorite snack with local kids who are facing food insecurity. —Jose Bolanos, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025

Other broad factors are also contributing to a rise in food insecurity nationwide. —Solcyré Burga, Time, 25 Sep. 2025

At the same time, grocery prices have risen roughly 25% since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Pratt, meaning that a lack of purchasing power regardless of where or how much food may be available is yet another factor causing food insecurity. —Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Sep. 2025

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