as in starving
not eating enough food or not eating enough healthy food; poorly nourished
The malnourished children were slowly nursed back to health.
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Recent Examples of malnourished
Two gray whales were found dead on the Oregon coast in April 2026, both malnourished and one with evidence of a ship strike.
—
Daniel Crocker, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
The mother of the malnourished and badly bruised youngster, Dominque Servant, 33, has been charged, alongside her boyfriend, Joey Ruffin, 38, with causing Markell’s death in February.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
The Directorate General of Health Services said unvaccinated children or those who have not completed the two-dose measles schedule face the greatest risk and that malnourished children are particularly prone to severe complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis.
—Reuters, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
Potential causes that were discussed included hypothermia and cardiac arrest due to his malnourished state.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malnourished
Daniel Crocker, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
The mother of the malnourished and badly bruised youngster, Dominque Servant, 33, has been charged, alongside her boyfriend, Joey Ruffin, 38, with causing Markell’s death in February.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
The Directorate General of Health Services said unvaccinated children or those who have not completed the two-dose measles schedule face the greatest risk and that malnourished children are particularly prone to severe complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis.
—Reuters, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
Potential causes that were discussed included hypothermia and cardiac arrest due to his malnourished state.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malnourished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malnourished
Adjective
-
The conflict in Iran has caused oil prices in Haiti to surge, disrupting critical supply chains, doubling transportation costs and forcing millions of undernourished people to cut back on already scarce meals.—
Evens Sanon,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
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The conflict in Iran has caused oil prices in Haiti to surge, disrupting critical supply chains, doubling transportation costs and forcing millions of undernourished people to cut back on already scarce meals.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The global micro-drama surge is also the story of a predominantly female audience, hungry for romance and fantasy, sidestepping legacy gatekeepers.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
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The hungry yet uninitiated may enter the new 1986 Steak House, glance around and wonder whose likeness that is on the wall.—
Connie Ogle,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Malnourished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malnourished. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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