malnutrition

noun

mal·​nu·​tri·​tion ˌmal-nu̇-ˈtri-shən How to pronounce malnutrition (audio)
-nyu̇-
Synonyms of malnutritionnext
: faulty nutrition due to inadequate or unbalanced intake of nutrients or their impaired assimilation or utilization

Examples of malnutrition in a Sentence

a program to help poor children suffering from malnutrition
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.
By November of that year, the agency said that 90% of camp residents could not afford an adequate diet and 15 percent of children were suffering from acute malnutrition, the highest rate ever recorded in the camps. ABC News, 31 Mar. 2026 In the pandemic year of 2022 (the last year for which there is data), about 20,500 Americans died of malnutrition, though the vast majority were age 85 or older and had underlying health problems, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health. Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2026 Most people were short and slight due to childhood malnutrition, and diseases scythed regularly through their weak immune systems. Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026 At the same time, residents were losing significant weight and developing malnutrition, enduring life-threatening pressure ulcers and repeatedly suffering unwitnessed falls, in part due to understaffing, James alleged. Eli Cahan, ProPublica, 23 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for malnutrition

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of malnutrition was in 1862

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Malnutrition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malnutrition. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

malnutrition

noun
mal·​nu·​tri·​tion ˌmal-n(y)u̇-ˈtrish-ən How to pronounce malnutrition (audio)
: faulty nutrition especially due to inadequate intake of nutrients

Medical Definition

malnutrition

noun
mal·​nu·​tri·​tion ˌmal-n(y)u̇-ˈtrish-ən How to pronounce malnutrition (audio)
: faulty nutrition due to inadequate or unbalanced intake of nutrients or their impaired assimilation or utilization
malnutritional adjective
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