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

But food insecurity started rising as the government rolled back its pandemic-era assistance. —James Pollard, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025

Over 1 million children in Haiti are facing critical levels of food insecurity in Haiti amid persistent armed violence and forced displacements. —Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025

Afghan advocates say the deteriorating conditions in the country have been exacerbated by the Biden administration’s 2021 military withdrawal, citing food insecurity and safety issues for women under the Taliban. —Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 24 Apr. 2025

Proceeds go to support the work of the farm — to care for the earth and those living with food insecurity. —Janet Kusterer, Baltimore Sun, 23 Apr. 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