Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
📉 To not use fully 📉 Not enough use
to underuse

to underuse

1 3.6
To use something less than you should
  • verb
  • /ˌʌndərˈjuːs/
translation icon : subutilizar
  • Studies continue to reveal that Asian Americans underuse or terminate counseling prematurely.

Examples

  • Eifert has been way underused by the Irish this season.

    Blog text (32)

  • Although computers serve an important role in data processing, they are significantly underused in data collection.

    Academic text (2003)

  • As a result, they either underuse the services or terminate prematurely.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Clients of ethnic Arab origin have a negative view of mental health services and may tend to mistrust and underuse them.

    Academic text (2000)

  • Early on, he was underused as a receiver, but that's been changing.

    Blog text (16)

  • Spell out how you're being underused, and press for a fuller partnership.

    Blog text (23)

  • Although caution is advised in starting ARAs, these drugs are commonly underused in heart failure.

    Blog text (16)

  • Although environmental education opportunities for Belizean youth are on the increase, the protected areas in Belize are underused for this purpose.

    Academic text (1997)

  • In fact, ethnic and racial minorities have high rates of underusing services, often related to a lack of multiculturally competent practitioners (Atkinson, Morten, & Sue, 1998).

    Academic text (2009)

  • Despite its capabilities, many organizations underuse their data analytics tools for decision-making.

Synonyms

to underutilize
vsto underuse
  • US
6 4.9

To use something less than its full ability

focuses on not using something as much as it could or should

Antonyms

to maximize
133 4.1

To make something as large or useful as possible

How Much

to overuse
20 3.7
to use
∞ 1.0
to underuse
1 3.6

Surface Forms

underuse infinitive
underused past
underused past participle
underusing present participle
underuses third person singular

Morphology

underuse = use (transparent) = under + use

Standard productive prefixation: 'under-' (insufficiently) + 'use' gives the verb 'underuse'.

Etymology

To underuse comes from under- ('not enough' or 'below') and use ('to use'), like a gym pass that sits unused. So to underuse something is to use it less than you should.