WordGarden.iounderdevelop
Pronunciation
UK
US
- /ˌəndərdɪˈvɛləp/
Meanings
Verb
to fail to develop something fully or enough
Beyond the definition
Imagine giving only half the care that something needs. If a town gets too little investment, years later people may say the government underdeveloped the area by not building enough roads, schools, or services. The word means to develop something too little or too slowly, so it does not reach the level it could have reached.
We can use it for places, plans, skills, or ideas. A writer might underdevelop a character by giving them too little detail. A company might underdevelop a product by rushing it out before it is fully improved. The idea is always the same: not enough work, growth, or support was given.
The word "underdevelop" is a verb. It means to develop something less than needed, less than expected, or less than its full potential. It often suggests that time, care, money, planning, or support were not enough, so the result remains weak, incomplete, or not fully formed.
One common use is with places and economies. A government, company, or system can underdevelop a region by failing to invest in roads, schools, hospitals, housing, or jobs. In this sense, the word points to a process: someone or something did not help that place grow enough.
It is also used for creative and abstract things. A novelist can underdevelop a character by not giving enough background or personality. A speaker can underdevelop an argument by not adding enough facts or explanation. A team can underdevelop a product or idea by stopping too early or not improving it enough.
In some technical contexts, the word can also mean to process something too little. For example, in photography, to underdevelop film is to leave it in development for too short a time, which can produce a weak image.
So the core idea is simple: something was not developed enough. Unlike "underdeveloped," which describes the final state, "underdevelop" names the action or process that led to that weak or incomplete result.
Examples
- 1
Medical development
Doctors found that the baby's left lung was underdeveloped at birth.
- 2
Physical growth
Years of poor nutrition can leave bones and muscles underdeveloped.
- 3
Social skills
Some researchers worry that too much screen time may underdevelop young children's social skills.
- Patternunderdevelop someone's skills
stop them from developing fully
- 4
Story characters
The story has a strong idea at its center, but the main characters feel underdeveloped.
- Phrasean underdeveloped character
a character the writer has not developed enough
See also
Similar
- develop insufficiently
- leave undeveloped
- stunt
Shades of meaning
- neglect
- underspecify
Contrast
- develop fully
- overdevelop
Used with (collocations)
- underdevelop a character
- underdevelop an idea
- underdevelop a plot
Word family
- underdeveloped
- underdevelopment
Explore
- incomplete development
- lack of detail
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- underdevelopverb