disadvantaged

adjective

dis·​ad·​van·​taged ˌdis-əd-ˈvan-tijd How to pronounce disadvantaged (audio)
Synonyms of disadvantagednext
: lacking in the basic resources or conditions (such as standard housing, medical and educational facilities, and civil rights) believed to be necessary for an equal position in society
disadvantagedness noun

Examples of disadvantaged in a Sentence

The program provides aid for economically disadvantaged groups. disadvantaged families struggling to get by will be benefited by changes in the tax code
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This was doubly true for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who hoped to use their educational credentials to catapult themselves up the class ladder. Literary Hub, 15 May 2026 Last year, research by King’s College London and Ipsos found that Gen Z men in 30 nations were far more likely than male Baby Boomers to say that the fight for women’s equality had gone so far that men were now disadvantaged. Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026 The film — set amid Ireland’s care system — has remarkable, and coincidental, parallels with Keoghan’s own upbringing as a foster kid from one of Dublin’s most disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Alex Ritman, Variety, 12 May 2026 In other competitive domains — such as with China’s entry into the World Trade Organization and in cybersecurity negotiations between Beijing and the Obama administration — agreements were ultimately reached that Washington believes in hindsight disadvantaged American companies. Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for disadvantaged

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of disadvantaged was in 1893

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Cite this Entry

“Disadvantaged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disadvantaged. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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