malnourished
adjective
mal·nour·ished
ˌmal-ˈnər-isht 
-ˈnə-risht
: supplied with less than the minimum or an unbalanced amount of the nutrients or foods essential for sound health and growth : marked by malnutrition
When it comes to certain nutrients, in fact, an estimated 80 to 90 percent of obese individuals are malnourished.—
Maria Konnikova
Maria Konnikova
especially
: undernourished sense 1
How do you help malnourished children and assure that they won't go hungry again after you leave? —Melissa Hendricks
Melissa Hendricks Patients may become malnourished from being unable to take food by mouth … —Laura Landro
Laura Landro Examples of malnourished in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Zona was emaciated and malnourished at the time of her death, police said.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
At a Tuesday bond hearing, Cabrera’s defense attorney argued there was a lack of probable cause and no indication Cabrera’s dogs were malnourished or of cockfighting, a livestream of Circuit Court Judge Mindy Glazer’s courtroom showed.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
But stabilization centers that provide inpatient treatment to the most extremely malnourished children have generally, though not universally, been spared.
—Hana Kiros, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026
Mama bear was down with pneumonia and was too malnourished to lactate.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malnourished
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Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
At a Tuesday bond hearing, Cabrera’s defense attorney argued there was a lack of probable cause and no indication Cabrera’s dogs were malnourished or of cockfighting, a livestream of Circuit Court Judge Mindy Glazer’s courtroom showed.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
But stabilization centers that provide inpatient treatment to the most extremely malnourished children have generally, though not universally, been spared.
—Hana Kiros, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026
Mama bear was down with pneumonia and was too malnourished to lactate.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malnourished
Cite this Entry
“Malnourished.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malnourished. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
malnourished
adjective
mal·nour·ished
(ˈ)mal-ˈnər-isht
-ˈnə-risht
: poorly nourished : undernourished
Medical Definition
malnourished
adjective
mal·nour·ished
(ˈ)mal-ˈnər-isht, -ˈnə-risht
: supplied with less than the minimum or an unbalanced amount of the nutrients or foods essential for sound health and growth : marked by malnutrition
When it comes to certain nutrients, in fact, an estimated 80 to 90 percent of obese individuals are malnourished.—Maria Konnikova
Maria Konnikova
especially
: undernourished
How do you help malnourished children and assure that they won't go hungry again after you leave? —Melissa Hendricks
Melissa Hendricks Patients may become malnourished from being unable to take food by mouth … —Laura Landro
Laura Landro Love words? Need even more definitions?
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