understaffed

/ˌʌndəˈstɑːft/ (bre, ipa) · [ˈʌndɚstˌæft] /ˌʌndərˈstæft/ (ame, ipa) · [ˈʌndɚstˌæft] /ˌən-dər-ˈstaft How to pronounce understaffed (audio)/ (ame, mw)

understaffed — adjective

  • understaffedpositive
  • more understaffedcomparative
  • most understaffedsuperlative

1. A workplace or team that is understaffed employs too few people to manage the no

1.形容詞B2
釋義

A workplace or team that is understaffed employs too few people to manage the normal workload, leaving existing workers under pressure and causing things to run behind schedule.

例句

The local hospital was so understaffed that nurses had to work twelve-hour shifts seven days a week.

passive: was so understaffed that [result]

Renata's restaurant had to close for lunch because the kitchen was understaffed.

同義詞
  • short-staffed

    more common in British English; identical meaning

  • short-handed

    slightly less formal; often describes a temporary lack of workers for a specific task rather than a chronic problem

反義詞

文法句型

be + understaffed

adverb + understaffed

用法筆記

Most common in predicative position (after be, seem, become, remain). Attributive use before a noun is also possible (e.g., 'an understaffed department') but less frequent.

常見錯誤

❌The company is understaff of workers.
✅The company is understaffed.
💡'understaffed' is an adjective, not a noun; do not drop the -ed ending.
❌We are understaffed of employees.
✅We are understaffed.
💡The adjective already implies a shortage of staff; do not add 'of employees'.