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underserve

American  
[uhn-der-surv] / ˌʌn dərˈsɜrv /

verb (used with object)

underserved, underserving
  1. to offer inadequate services or facilities to.


Etymology

Origin of underserve

First recorded in 1710–20; under- ( def. ) + serve ( def. )


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Siegel and Torelli-Pedevska contend that industry diversity efforts themselves underserve disabled workers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2023

“We underserve our nighttime economy and the workers,” said Scott Plusquellec, the nightlife advocate.

From Seattle Times ● May 7, 2023

In the buildup to the release of “The Dark Tower,” fans of the source material have expressed concern that the movie’s brisk running time would underserve the books’ grand themes.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 3, 2017

We already knew that high schools typically underserve students from low-income families and communities, but apparently they're doing poorly with wealthier students as well.

From US News ● May 12, 2016

The right strategy could be getting closer to your customers by using your intimate knowledge to serve them better, or it could be driving a wedge between dissatisfied customers and the companies that underserve them.

From Forbes ● Apr. 2, 2015

In 2019, Roc Nation signed on to consult the NFL on live music entertainment and the social justice initiative Inspire Change, which aims to reduce barriers to opportunity, especially in underserved communities.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026

Gowan would later say one reason D2 was eager to hire her was because she was Orthodox: “She was going to be an avenue into an underserved population.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

High Line’s founders say they’re aware they are working against strong headwinds in publishing, but believe they are offering something the public is hungry for and a need that has been underserved by mainstream publishers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

The company is also expanding in other African countries, including tank farms in Namibia and a pipeline that will supply underserved inland markets.

From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026

I even applied to Teach for America—the national teacher placement organization that places college graduates in needy schools in underserved communities.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

"We are still underserving many patients due to treatment failure and side effects," she said.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2024

The occasion was an announcement the company made this morning about the formation of a new “equity team” that will be tasked with examining how the app may be underserving different groups of people.

From The Verge ● Sep. 10, 2020

She says she now views that experience as a missed "opportunity for me to identify and then talk about how underserving and unworthy I felt."

From Fox News ● May 6, 2020

A system that heavily relies on reacting to complaints can “result in underserving certain areas of the city,” the auditor’s report said.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 24, 2020

Accept my regret that you were in the hands of so underserving a workman, and one who placed me under the necessity of interrupting a work which interested you.

From Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 2 by Thomas Jefferson Randolph

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