as in starving
not eating enough food or not eating enough healthy food; poorly nourished
The malnourished children were slowly nursed back to health.
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Recent Examples of malnourished
During the investigation, deputies identified three severely malnourished dogs and more than 60 chickens and roosters confined in cages without adequate food, water or shelter.
—
Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 5 Jan. 2026
In August, a panel of international experts on food insecurity, backed by the United Nations, declared a famine in the region, and the suffering of malnourished children made headlines.
—Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 28 Dec. 2025
The photos show a malnourished Sprout wearing a small red sweater, as the shelter encouraged people to donate to assist with her care.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
As the video posted to social media shows, the dog was in a weak condition and appeared badly malnourished.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malnourished
Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 5 Jan. 2026
In August, a panel of international experts on food insecurity, backed by the United Nations, declared a famine in the region, and the suffering of malnourished children made headlines.
—Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 28 Dec. 2025
The photos show a malnourished Sprout wearing a small red sweater, as the shelter encouraged people to donate to assist with her care.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
As the video posted to social media shows, the dog was in a weak condition and appeared badly malnourished.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malnourished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malnourished
Adjective
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The disease also tends to hit undernourished, immunocompromised, and pregnant people particularly hard, and many of the severest cases tend to occur in the youngest children.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
18 Dec. 2025
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One after another, photos and videos coming out of eastern Cuba show undernourished, men, women and children dressed in rags, often with no shoes and living in makeshift homes.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
20 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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With a hungry ghost and a series of crippling self-esteem issues in tow, Saccharine leaves a lot for audiences to stomach.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
23 Jan. 2026
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As sea ice thaws, the prospect of resource extraction will be appealing in an energy-hungry world where climate pragmatism is the new guideline.—
Chloe Demrovsky,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Malnourished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malnourished. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026.
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