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

Data shows that 2020 was the last year food insecurity in Connecticut decreased. —Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 3 June 2025

Or referring to ‘people experiencing food insecurity’ rather than Americans going hungry. —Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 30 May 2025

Over the same period of time, Miami-Dade’s rate of food insecurity — people who don’t have enough to eat — has spiked by 50%. —Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025

The harvest was organized as a collaborative effort, with volunteers picking, sorting and packing the fruit, which was then distributed to clients of West Valley Community Services who are dealing with food insecurity. —Vidula Aiyer, Mercury News, 25 May 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