adjective
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immature or undersized
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relating to societies in which both the surplus capital and the social organization necessary to advance are lacking
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photog (of a film, plate, or print) processed in developer for less than the required time, thus lacking in contrast
Etymology
Origin of underdeveloped
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.
The two new fields are “greenfields,” a term for underdeveloped fields that typically lack infrastructure or electricity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
"Weak governance, poor oversight, ineffective escalation, and underdeveloped leadership created the conditions in which patients were seriously harmed," the chair added.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
It only takes one attention-grabbing and theologically underdeveloped topic for these competing incentives to create drama.
From Slate ● Jun. 8, 2026
According to her Instagram post, Phillips was born with an underdeveloped kidney.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2026
In addition, since humans are born underdeveloped, they can be educated and socialised to a far greater extent than any other animal.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
