underfunded
underfunded — adjective
- underfundedpositive
- more underfundedcomparative
- most underfundedsuperlative
1. describing an organization, public service, or project that does not receive eno
describing an organization, public service, or project that does not receive enough money from the government or other sources to operate effectively
The local hospital is so underfunded that it cannot afford new X-ray machines.
collocation: chronically / severely / sorely underfunded
Shanti's school was one of the most underfunded in the district, with textbooks from the 1990s.
The after-school program was chronically underfunded and could only help half the children who applied.
After years of being underfunded, the public library had to close three of its six branches.
Adisa's research team struggled because the climate-monitoring project was severely underfunded.
- under-resourced
broader meaning — can refer to a lack of staff, equipment, or time, not just money
- starved of funds
more emphatic and dramatic, common in news headlines and opinion pieces
- cash-strapped
informal; describes an organization that is trying to operate with very little money
用法筆記
Most commonly used for public services such as schools, hospitals, and cultural institutions, especially when the shortfall comes from government budget decisions.
underfunded — verb
- underfundedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- underfundeds3rd person singular
- underfundeding-ing form
- underfundededpast simple
1. to give an organization, project, or service too little money, making it difficu
to give an organization, project, or service too little money, making it difficult or impossible for it to function properly
Critics argue that the government has underfunded public transportation for years.
active voice: underfund + direct object
The university underfunded its language department so badly that it could no longer offer French classes.
Naoko warned that continuing to underfund the community health program would lead to longer waiting times.
Gabriel believes the city council deliberately underfunds the arts to free up money for road repairs.
- underfinance
more formal; used mainly in business and government reports
文法句型
underfund + noun phrase
be underfunded by [amount]
用法筆記
The active verb form is much less common than the past-participle adjective underfunded. Learners are far more likely to encounter 'X is underfunded' than 'someone underfunds X.'