underpowered

British

/ ˌʌndəˈpaʊəd /

adjective

lacking or low in power

two-litre cars are underpowered

"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

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.

Mr. Phelan canceled a long-planned frigate and replaced it with an underpowered Coast Guard cutter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

When it returned to F1 in 2015 with McLaren, it was underprepared, and spent three difficult seasons with engines that were underpowered and unreliable.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

If your pot feels thin or underpowered, it may be craving something savory — a spoonful of bouillon, a splash of soy sauce, a handful of mushrooms.

From Salon • Feb. 8, 2026

Such is the Springbok's strength in depth, however, that Rassie Erasmus's side look the clear favourites over what seems to be a desperately underpowered and inexperienced Welsh team.

From Barron's • Nov. 28, 2025

I don’t like the delays caused by my computer’s being underpowered.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

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