underpowered

adjective

un·​der·​pow·​ered ˌən-dər-ˈpau̇(-ə)rd How to pronounce underpowered (audio)
1
: driven by an engine of insufficient power
2
: having or supplied with insufficient power

Examples of underpowered in a Sentence

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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.
Ambitiously reaching past satire toward psychological revelation, the play piles on plot twists but offers thin, inconsistent character work and a retrograde climax, leaving its portrait of American familial dysfunction strangely underpowered. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026 The truck feels smaller and easier to maneuver than a Sierra, yet never flimsy or underpowered. — Josh Max, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 Earlier models in the RX10 series used Sony's NP-FW50 battery, a rechargeable that's underpowered by modern standards and has mostly fallen out of use since the RX10 IV's release. — Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026 Gasperini would typically pair the Brazilian with a defensive-minded player — Teun Koopmeiners or Marten de Roon — in a 3-4-3, and his all-action play went a long way towards ensuring the midfield two never looked underpowered. — Carl Anka, New York Times, 5 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for underpowered

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of underpowered was in 1905

Rhymes for underpowered

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Browse Nearby Words

underpopulation
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underpower relay
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Cite this Entry

“Underpowered.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underpowered. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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