understaffed

[uhn-der-staft, -stahft]

adjective

1. having an insufficient number of personnel.

   The hospital is understaffed.

understaffed

/ ˌʌndəˈstɑːft /

adjective

1. not having enough staff

   her department is understaffed

Word History and Origins

Origin of understaffed¹

First recorded in 1890–95; under- + staff ¹ + -ed ³

Example Sentences

What I found was an understaffed home that didn't have the right mix of staff to deal with the basic needs of residents, particularly those with dementia.

From BBC

Guards were stabbed there, a man died after being beaten by fellow inmates and the facility was understaffed.

From Los Angeles Times

With a sanctioned strength of 160 that experts say has never been completely filled, the court is severely understaffed.

From BBC

"I sympathise that sometimes there are staff who are overworked or units that are understaffed," he said.

From BBC

The complaint came two years after a San Francisco Chronicle investigation unearthed allegations that the pet facility was hiring inexperienced employees, staff had insufficient training and facilities in the Bay Area were understaffed.

From Los Angeles Times