disadvantaged

American  

[dis-uhd-van-tijd] / ˌdɪs ədˈvæn tɪdʒd /

adjective

1. lacking the normal or usual necessities and comforts of life, as proper housing, educational opportunities, job security, adequate medical care, etc..

   The government extends help to disadvantaged minorities.

   Synonyms:

   deprived, impoverished, underprivileged, poor

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noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. Usually the disadvantaged disadvantaged persons collectively.

   The senator advocates increased funding for federal programs that aid the disadvantaged.

disadvantaged British  

/ ˌdɪsədˈvɑːntɪdʒd /

adjective

1. socially or economically deprived or discriminated against

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• disadvantagedness
  noun
• nondisadvantaged
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of disadvantaged

First recorded in 1930–35; disadvantage + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Sara Heller studied Chicago’s jobs program and found that an eight-week summer job cut violent-crime arrests among disadvantaged teenagers by 43%, with the effect growing after the job ended.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

“Retail investors should not be disadvantaged by large, short-term trading flows around a major IPO event,” Shulman said.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

The math professor argued that the SAT push was in aid of disadvantaged students.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

She also framed DEI as the viewpoint “that the exclusion of historically disadvantaged groups is undesirable.”

From Slate • May 14, 2026

I wanted university presidents to encourage students to work to improve the condition of disadvantaged Americans.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Related Words

• deprived
• impaired
• impoverished
• poor
• underprivileged