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.
Ames’ Julianne is underdeveloped, her family life a conceit of the play rather than a lived reality.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Confidence estimates are also lower for underdeveloped parts of the world, where a lack of consistent, long-term records limits attribution science's reach.
From Barron's ● Jul. 16, 2026
Chief Executive He Xiaopeng said the company decided to offer the L03 in both battery-electric and extended-range versions after observing that charging infrastructure remains underdeveloped in many overseas markets, including parts of Mexico and Africa.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
It only takes one attention-grabbing and theologically underdeveloped topic for these competing incentives to create drama.
From Slate ● Jun. 8, 2026
He was far too young and too underdeveloped to row for the university, the only rowing game in town.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
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.
