malnourished
adjective
mal·nour·ished
ˌmal-ˈnər-isht 
-ˈnə-risht
: supplied with less than the minimum or an unbalanced amount of the nutrients or foods essential for sound health and growth : marked by malnutrition
When it comes to certain nutrients, in fact, an estimated 80 to 90 percent of obese individuals are malnourished.—
Maria Konnikova
Maria Konnikova
especially
: undernourished sense 1
How do you help malnourished children and assure that they won't go hungry again after you leave? —Melissa Hendricks
Melissa Hendricks Patients may become malnourished from being unable to take food by mouth … —Laura Landro
Laura Landro Examples of malnourished in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Because its teams can't coordinate movements with the military, Save the Children suspended programs providing nutrition to malnourished children, said Rachael Cummings, the group's humanitarian response leader in Gaza.
—Arkansas Online, 31 Mar. 2025
In November, the pair found Cali in Mexico looking malnourished and frail.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
And finally, Egyptian leaders hoped to use the war to secure continued financial inflows that will stave off economic crisis at home, where one in seven people suffer from food insecurity and more than one in five children under five are malnourished and undersized.
—Lisa Anderson, Foreign Affairs, 14 Mar. 2025
According to Fox 32 Chicago, a recent court hearing saw 38-year-old Anita Damodaran of Chicago being instructed to stay in Illinois and follow a 12-hour nightly curfew after her dog was found malnourished and barely breathing in March 2024.
—Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malnourished
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Arkansas Online, 31 Mar. 2025
In November, the pair found Cali in Mexico looking malnourished and frail.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
And finally, Egyptian leaders hoped to use the war to secure continued financial inflows that will stave off economic crisis at home, where one in seven people suffer from food insecurity and more than one in five children under five are malnourished and undersized.
—Lisa Anderson, Foreign Affairs, 14 Mar. 2025
According to Fox 32 Chicago, a recent court hearing saw 38-year-old Anita Damodaran of Chicago being instructed to stay in Illinois and follow a 12-hour nightly curfew after her dog was found malnourished and barely breathing in March 2024.
—Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malnourished
Cite this Entry
“Malnourished.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malnourished. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
malnourished
adjective
mal·nour·ished
(ˈ)mal-ˈnər-isht
-ˈnə-risht
: poorly nourished : undernourished
Medical Definition
malnourished
adjective
mal·nour·ished
(ˈ)mal-ˈnər-isht, -ˈnə-risht
: supplied with less than the minimum or an unbalanced amount of the nutrients or foods essential for sound health and growth : marked by malnutrition
When it comes to certain nutrients, in fact, an estimated 80 to 90 percent of obese individuals are malnourished.—Maria Konnikova
Maria Konnikova
especially
: undernourished
How do you help malnourished children and assure that they won't go hungry again after you leave? —Melissa Hendricks
Melissa Hendricks Patients may become malnourished from being unable to take food by mouth … —Laura Landro
Laura Landro Love words? Need even more definitions?
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