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

Meanwhile, widespread poverty, food insecurity, and the collapse of the healthcare system have deepened the humanitarian emergency, displacing over a million people in search of safety. —Billal Rahman gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025

This streamlined approach ensures that help is readily available to anyone facing food insecurity in Parker County. —Paris Goodman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 June 2025

Other charities benefited with focuses spanning from arts and culture, education, health care, housing, human services, mental health, food insecurity, science and technology and youth development. —Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 23 June 2025

These include food insecurity, housing instability and links to depression, anxiety and even suicidal behaviors. —Kathy Szeliga, Baltimore Sun, 11 June 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