underprivileged

adjective

un·der·priv·i·leged | \ ˌən-dər-ˈpriv-lijd

How to pronounce underprivileged (audio)

, -ˈpri-və- \

Definition of underprivileged

1 : deprived through social or economic condition of some of the fundamental rights of all members of a civilized society

2 : of or relating to underprivileged people underprivileged areas of the city

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Synonyms & Antonyms for underprivileged

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Examples of underprivileged in a Sentence

underprivileged children often don't do as well on standardized tests as more privileged students

Recent Examples on the Web Fatma attended Isabella Thoburn College in Lucknow, India, and later worked to educate underprivileged children during her time as a social worker. — Dory Jackson, PEOPLE.com, "CNN's Fareed Zakaria Pays Tribute to His Mom After Losing Her to COVID: 'She Wanted the Best for Us'," 12 Apr. 2021 For $12 a month, donors can help ensure the 150-plus underprivileged children and teens in the center’s year-round programs have the best chance to succeed in school and life. — Brett Shweky, sun-sentinel.com, "Milagro Center launches monthly giving program for at-risk children," 26 Mar. 2021 These institutions’ obvious charitable pursuits — to relieve the suffering of the poor, the distressed, and the underprivileged — rightly justified their tax-exempt status. — Ge Bai And David A. Hyman Reprints, STAT, "Tax exemptions for nonprofit hospitals: It’s time taxpayers get their money’s worth," 9 Apr. 2021 Among the measures announced then was the designation of several spots a year at ENA for students from underprivileged backgrounds, particularly the dismal projects on the outskirts of big cities where many Muslim immigrants are concentrated. — New York Times, "Macron Closes Elite French School in Bid to Diversify Public Service," 8 Apr. 2021 Nugent has spent the past eight years volunteering at soup kitchens and hands-on communities to give back to the underprivileged. — Roger Sands, Forbes, "Acclaimed Chefs Debuting At These Restaurants," 5 Apr. 2021 Some are guilty of elitism, but most bring high-quality, reliable schooling to many, outdoing public-school counterparts in helping the underprivileged. — Daniel Buck, National Review, "In Defense of Private Schools," 22 Mar. 2021 Today’s liberals also share with their 1960s precursors an abiding belief that government is best suited to help the underprivileged. — Jason L. Riley, WSJ, "Biden’s $1.9 Trillion Great Society Remake," 9 Mar. 2021 The Manchester United and England forward is working with publisher Macmillan Children's Books (MCB) to help provide more children from underprivileged backgrounds the opportunity to read. — Matias Grez, CNN, "Manchester United star Marcus Rashford launches children's book club," 17 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'underprivileged.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

26 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Underprivileged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underprivileged. Accessed 9 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for underprivileged

underprivileged

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of underprivileged

: having less money, education, etc., than the other people in a society : having fewer advantages, privileges, and opportunities than most people : poor or disadvantaged

See the full definition for underprivileged in the English Language Learners Dictionary

underprivileged

adjective

un·der·priv·i·leged | \ ˌən-dər-ˈpri-və-lijd