malnourished
adjective
mal·nour·ished
ˌmal-ˈnər-isht
-ˈnə-risht
: supplied with less than the minimum or an unbalanced amount of the nutrients or foods essential for sound health and growth : marked by malnutrition
When it comes to certain nutrients, in fact, an estimated 80 to 90 percent of obese individuals are malnourished.—Maria Konnikova
especially
: undernourished sense 1
How do you help malnourished children and assure that they won't go hungry again after you leave? —Melissa Hendricks
Patients may become malnourished from being unable to take food by mouth … —Laura Landro
Cite this Entry
“Malnourished.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malnourished. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
