WordGarden.iounderman
Pronunciation
UK
US
- /ˈəndərˌmæn/
Meanings
Verb
to provide with too few workers or crew
Noun
a man regarded as subordinate, inferior, or socially disadvantaged
the supporting member of an acrobatic team
Beyond the definition
This word is rare in modern English, but when it appears, it usually works as a verb. To underman something is to give it too few workers, crew members, or staff. Imagine sending out a ship without enough sailors or trying to run a factory shift with too few people on the floor. In both cases, the job can still go on, but it will be harder, slower, and more strained because there are not enough hands to do the work.
You are more likely to see related forms such as undermanned than the base form itself. The meaning is close to understaff or leave short-handed, especially in formal, military, industrial, or older writing.
Underman is a rare verb that means to supply a job, ship, unit, project, or workplace with fewer people than it needs. The idea is simple: the task is expected to continue, but the number of workers or crew is too low for the work to be done well or easily. Because of that, the word often suggests pressure, delay, fatigue, or reduced efficiency.
You may find it in older writing, especially in military, naval, factory, or management contexts. A writer might say that a vessel was undermanned during a long voyage, or that a department was undermanned during a busy season. In modern everyday English, people more often say understaff, short-staff, or leave short-handed, but the core meaning is much the same.
It is important not to treat this word mainly as a noun meaning a subordinate or assistant. That is not its usual English sense. The strongest and clearest use is the verb sense about not having enough people for the work.
So if a company tries to run a warehouse with too few workers, or a rescue team is sent out with too small a crew, the operation can be said to be undermanned, and the employer or manager may be said to underman it. The word is uncommon, but its picture is clear: there is work to do, and there simply are not enough people to do it properly.
Examples
- 1
Medical staffing
The clinic was undermanned during flu season, so patients waited much longer than usual.
- 2
Cost cutting
Management chose to underman the night shift to save money.
- 3
Military unit
The commander refused to send an undermanned unit into the hills after dark.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- short-staff
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- underman a crew
- underman a department
Word family
- undermanned
- undermanning
Explore
- staffing shortage
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- undermannoun