underserved

adjective un·der·served \ ˌən-dər-ˈsərvd \

|Updated on: 3 Jul 2018

Definition of underserved

: provided with inadequate service

Recent Examples of underserved from the Web

Los Angeles Times As Hollywood grapples with persistent criticism over its lack of diversity, major studios are experimenting with new ways to recruit students from underserved communities.

— shelby grad, latimes.com, "Essential California: The drug war implications of Mexico going to the polls," 30 June 2018
Families Belong Together has a list of groups here, including RAICES, which provides free and low-cost legal services to underserved immigrant children, families, and refugees in Texas.

— Vogue, "The Families Belong Together March Is on June 30: Everything You Need to Know," 27 June 2018
After working at Pendle Hill for three years, Hannah was hired as a teaching assistant at a Montessori school for underserved children in Kensington, Maryland.

— naomi fry, The New Yorker, "How a Young Woman Lost Her Identity," 26 Mar. 2018
The American Dental Association Foundation says events nationwide have helped more than 5.5 million underserved children since 2003.

— janet mcconnaughey, The Seattle Times, "Entertaining toothy lessons, checkups for underserved kids," 18 Feb. 2018
Hamilton was comfortable taking questions from youth players at the Breakthrough Series, which highlights players from underserved communities nationwide.

— bobby nightengale, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati Reds Notebook: Homer Bailey roughed up in rehab start; 21 draft picks sign," 12 June 2018
Several statewide initiatives to bring young doctors to small towns have cropped up in recent years, including loan repayment programs and a plan to increase the number of residencies in medically underserved areas.

— gretel kauffman, idahostatesman, "This county has only 1 doctor. When he retires, who will replace him?," 29 May 2018
TeaSquares is in the process of trying to establish a nonprofit to expand its work educating and providing job opportunities for the surrounding underserved communities.

— greg trotter, chicagotribune.com, "How TeaSquares, a South Side food startup, grew from an idea to soon selling in 187 Jewel-Osco stores," 1 June 2018
To include underserved students, the school would have to take students who had lacked access to good education systems and were in catch-up mode.

— anne ryman, azcentral, "Arizona Summit aimed to redefine law school through diversity. What went wrong?," 16 May 2018

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