underserved

adjective

un·​der·​served ˌən-dər-ˈsərvd 

: provided with inadequate service

… they then went on to practice among patients who had been previously underserved.

—Andrew Hacker

Examples of underserved in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Advocates for underserved students have not ruled out a repeat of lawsuits if the tests return. — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026

Many bus riders live in neighborhoods historically underserved by transit — large stretches of eastern Queens, southeast Brooklyn, the eastern Bronx, and Staten Island, where residents often live far from subway stations. — Mike Flynn, New York Daily News, 9 July 2026

Black physicians remain underrepresented nationally, even as research continues to show that a more diverse physician workforce improves access to care in underserved communities. — Richard Fowler, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

The plan will focus on providing a professional pathway for some of the country’s most underserved communities, including La Guajira, which produced Colombia superstar Luis Diaz. — Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 7 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1710, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for underserved

• conserved
• decurved
• deserved
• incurved
• observed
• preserved
• recurved
• reserved
• subserved
• unnerved
• unserved
• curved