understaffed

American  

[uhn-der-staft, -stahft] / ˌʌn dərˈstæft, -ˈstɑft /

adjective

1. having an insufficient number of personnel.

   The hospital is understaffed.

---

understaffed British  

/ ˌʌndəˈstɑːft /

adjective

1. not having enough staff

   her department is understaffed

---

Etymology

Origin of understaffed

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

Explanation

When a business doesn't have quite enough employees, it is understaffed. Be patient with your server if the restaurant is understaffed — they're probably doing the work of several people! Your lemonade stand is understaffed if there aren't enough workers to squeeze lemons, fill cups, and give customers change. And a school is understaffed if teachers are out sick and no substitutes are available to fill in. The word comes from the verb staff, "to provide with a staff of assistants," and the earlier noun, which meant "group of military officers" prior to "group of workers."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

understaffed

“Mental Health is understaffed, burned out,” wrote one New York-based staffer who was leaving.

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026

Advocates and industry officials alike say the CSB, though understaffed and lacking enforcement power, has been a crucial watchdog doing autopsies of catastrophes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

"Many institutions appear to be overwhelmed, understaffed, and not fully prepared for the volume of requests received over the past few months," he says.

From BBC ● May 1, 2026

Police are woefully understaffed and hampered by public policy, said Blair Besten, president of downtown’s Historic Core Business Improvement District, a nonprofit that arranges graffiti removal, trash pickup and safety patrols in the area.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 18, 2026

I turned up at the busiest hour in the afternoon, when I knew they’d be understaffed, and sure enough, the manager was bagging groceries when I found him.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover