underprivileged
/ˌʌndəˈprɪvəlɪdʒd/ (bre, ipa) · [ˈʌndɚprˈɪvlədʒd] /ˌʌndərˈprɪvəlɪdʒd/ (ame, ipa) · [ˈʌndɚprˈɪvlədʒd] /ˌən-dər-ˈpriv-lijd How to pronounce underprivileged (audio) -ˈpri-və-/ (ame, mw) · /ˌʌn.dəˈprɪv.əl.ɪdʒd/ (bre, ipa) · [ˈʌndɚprˈɪvlədʒd] /ˌʌn.dɚˈprɪv.əl.ɪdʒd/ (ame, ipa)
underprivileged — adjective
- underprivilegedpositive
- more underprivilegedcomparative
- most underprivilegedsuperlative
1. having far fewer chances and useful resources than most people around them, espe
having far fewer chances and useful resources than most people around them, especially in schooling, money, and social support.
Tanvi helps underprivileged teenagers with homework at the community center.
collocation: underprivileged teenagers / children / students
The town gave free lunches to underprivileged children during the school break.
collocation: underprivileged children
Min came from an underprivileged family in Cebu and shared one desk.
Doctors offered free eye tests to underprivileged students in the farming district.
The city opened evening classes for underprivileged mothers near the market.
- disadvantaged
very close in meaning, but often sounds slightly broader and more administrative.
- deprived
stronger and more emotional; often suggests serious lack of basic needs.
- poor
more direct and mainly about money, not the wider lack of opportunity.
- privileged
having extra advantages, rights, or useful connections that others lack.
- affluent
focuses on having a lot of money rather than wider social advantage.
文法句型
underprivileged + noun
be underprivileged
from an underprivileged family
用法筆記
Most often appears before nouns such as children, families, communities, and students. When the word names a whole social group after 'the', it is usually the noun sense instead.
常見錯誤
underprivileged — noun
1. a polite way to refer to people in society who have much less money, support, or
a polite way to refer to people in society who have much less money, support, or opportunity than others, seen together as one group.
The charity delivers warm meals to the underprivileged each winter.
pattern: help / feed the underprivileged
Kofi has spent years teaching computer skills to the underprivileged.
pattern: teach / support the underprivileged
City leaders promised better housing for the underprivileged after the flood.
The new clinic was built to serve the underprivileged in coastal towns.
Lotte raised money for the underprivileged with a weekend book sale.
- the disadvantaged
close in meaning and common in policy or charity writing.
- the poor
more direct and less polite, with stronger focus on money.
- the needy
stresses needing practical help such as food, housing, or care.
- the privileged
people who enjoy advantages or rights unavailable to many others.
文法句型
help the underprivileged
serve the underprivileged
for the underprivileged
用法筆記
Normally used with 'the' and followed by a plural verb, as in 'the underprivileged need help'. For one person or one family, English usually uses the adjective before a noun instead.