understaffed

American  

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

adjective

1. having an insufficient number of personnel.

   The hospital is understaffed.

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understaffed British  

/ ˌʌndəˈstɑːft /

adjective

1. not having enough staff

   her department is understaffed

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Etymology

Origin of understaffed

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

Example Sentences

Across the United States, major airports have been inundated by flight disruptions, security lines spilling out of terminals, air traffic control outages, and overworked and understaffed employees struggling to keep it all running.

From Slate • Mar. 24, 2026

For fans, the security funding that’s stuck in limbo could mean the difference between a smoothly run tournament and a chaotic, understaffed event where security lines stretch for miles.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026

Once viewed as a retail winner, the company has grappled with merchandise missteps, understaffed and messy stores, and backlash over its approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

Maye just managed to squeak by the understaffed Broncos and their backup QB.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 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