underpopulated

American

[uhn-der-pop-yuh-ley-tid] / ˌʌn dərˈpɒp yəˌleɪ tɪd /

adjective

having a population lower than is normal or desirable.

underpopulated British

/ ˌʌndəˈpɒpjʊˌleɪtɪd /

adjective

having a low population rate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

underpopulation

noun

Etymology

Origin of underpopulated

First recorded in 1880–85; under- + populate + -ed ²

Vocabulary lists containing underpopulated

Human Geography - Middle School

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Human Geography - High School

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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.

Underpopulated Australia spent $30 million in 1963 to attract new citizens, since war's end has increased its population from 7.5 million to a mere 11 million.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023