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
Two mountain lion cubs found orphaned and malnourished in March have been released back into the wild after undergoing rehabilitation at San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Charging documents say investigators found malnourished animals on the property, according to ABC13, the Houston Chronicle and Yahoo News.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
When the malnourished cubs were found, the UC Davis California Carnivores Program team worked with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to rescue the pair, the nonprofit said.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Even after deliveries resumed, much of the population remained dangerously malnourished.
—Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malnourished
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Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Charging documents say investigators found malnourished animals on the property, according to ABC13, the Houston Chronicle and Yahoo News.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
When the malnourished cubs were found, the UC Davis California Carnivores Program team worked with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to rescue the pair, the nonprofit said.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Even after deliveries resumed, much of the population remained dangerously malnourished.
—Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malnourished
Cite this Entry
“Malnourished.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malnourished. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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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