as in starving
not eating enough food or not eating enough healthy food; poorly nourished
The malnourished children were slowly nursed back to health.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of malnourished
Los Angeles Zoo In 1967, Topa Topa was rescued from the Ventura County mountains as a one-year-old, weak and malnourished.
—
Julie Sharp, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
The number of severely malnourished children entering the center has doubled since the war began, to 60 a week, staff said.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
At a center for malnourished children in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, health staff weighed crying babies and fed some through a tube in their nose.
—ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
Two gray whales were found dead on the Oregon coast in April 2026, both malnourished and one with evidence of a ship strike.
—Daniel Crocker, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malnourished
Julie Sharp, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
The number of severely malnourished children entering the center has doubled since the war began, to 60 a week, staff said.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
At a center for malnourished children in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, health staff weighed crying babies and fed some through a tube in their nose.
—ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
Two gray whales were found dead on the Oregon coast in April 2026, both malnourished and one with evidence of a ship strike.
—Daniel Crocker, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malnourished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malnourished
Adjective
-
The center said an increasing number of gray whales are appearing undernourished and dying in the region, noting that 21 gray whales were found dead in San Francisco Bay last year.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
-
The conflict in Iran has caused oil prices in Haiti to surge, disrupting critical supply chains, doubling transportation costs and forcing millions of undernourished people to cut back on already scarce meals.—
Evens Sanon,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
What began as a niche repertory experiment now spans nearly 100 theaters across 73 cities and eight countries, suggesting the Cinematheque’s gleefully nihilistic concept has tapped into a seriously underfed audience.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Japan confirmed Friday the first fatal bear attack of 2026 after a record 13 deaths last year, with reports pointing to a jump in sightings as the animals emerge hungry from hibernation.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
-
Growing offspring will nurse when hungry, play like puppies and nap in the shade of the old oak trees.—
Susan Koch,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Malnourished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malnourished. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
