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Definitions

underdeveloped

[uhn-der-di-vel-uhpt] / ˌʌn dər dɪˈvɛl əpt /
ADJECTIVE
(of a country) developing
Synonyms
Antonyms


ADJECTIVE
not fully developed
Synonyms
Antonyms
ADJECTIVE
not developed
Synonyms
Antonyms


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

According to her Instagram post, Phillips was born with an underdeveloped kidney.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

Brazil tilts more toward financials and commodities—it is one of the world’s major sources of iron ore, and has vast, underdeveloped rare-earth deposits.

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

The Capitol building ought to be the symbolic center of the city—as it is in the street grid with its four quadrants—but the avenue running east is underdeveloped.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026

Instead, U.S. markets have been left in the shade this year by international rivals, including developed markets, underdeveloped “emerging” markets, and even the really undeveloped “frontier” markets.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 26, 2025

In part, that was because the Mutual, operating in the vacuum of the segregated and underdeveloped South, quickly assumed a range of functions and responsibilities far beyond those of a mere insurance company.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson