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

He said the county has made some strides in the right direction, including hiring more people and adding positions to a severely understaffed department, but it’s not enough.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2026

“If crypto jurisdiction is given to the agency, enforcement is woefully understaffed to handle it,” one says.

From Barron's • Feb. 9, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

Some mention was made of the understaffed fire department, aged equipment, the need for fireboats to patrol the river, and the fact that hydrants were placed far apart.

From "The Great Fire" by Jim Murphy