underdeveloped

adjective

un·der·de·vel·oped ˌən-dər-di-ˈve-ləpt

Synonyms of underdeveloped next

: not normally or adequately developed

underdeveloped muscles

underdeveloped film

: having a relatively low economic level of industrial production and standard of living (as from lack of capital)

underdeveloped nations

underdevelopment

ˌən-dər-di-ˈve-ləp-mənt

noun

Examples of underdeveloped in a Sentence

The baby was born with underdeveloped lungs.

Recent Examples on the Web Moreover, these children were 1.74 times more likely to have underdeveloped fine motor skills.1 The risks of developmental delays based on daily screen time were only significant in communication and problem-solving by the time the participating children reached their fourth birthdays. —

Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 24 Aug. 2023 Even as India has eclipsed China in terms of the sheer number of potential consumers, purchasing power remains weak, and the infrastructure, including roads and highways, is still woefully underdeveloped by comparison. —

Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2023 Emmie was born with underdeveloped lungs, and needed dialysis to stay alive. —

Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 27 Oct. 2023 But the final season also features underdeveloped story lines and characters who suffer for Harjo’s preoccupation with the big picture. —

Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2023 The difference that emerges between the two is Jack’s underdeveloped moral compass, which prompts him to push back — if not quite successfully — against Alejandro’s smash-and-grab criminal enterprises. —

Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 3 Sep. 2023 Instances of overt state repression may be indicative of what ails a society more broadly, but movements galvanized by them, Bevins suggests, often wind up ideologically underdeveloped, easy to appease, or vulnerable to capture. —

Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, 20 Sep. 2023 However, complications often arise due to their fragile, underdeveloped organs. —

Bloomberg Wire, Dallas News, 14 Sep. 2023 The Puno region, which envelops the entirety of the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca, has long been known as an underdeveloped and marginalized region of the country. —

Jack Guy, CNN, 3 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'underdeveloped.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.