Meaning & use
underutilised
Last updated
“underutilised” is a form of “underutilize”.
Meaning
adjectivenot comparableformalbusiness
not used as much as possible or as much as intended
Grammar: Describes a thing or person: an underutilised resource. It is not usually used before 'very'.
Patterns
- underutilised resource
- underutilised space
- underutilised talent
The factory's underutilised machinery sat idle for months.
Many graduates feel underutilised in their first jobs.
The report found that underutilised land could be turned into parks.
Word forms
| American spelling | underutilized |
|---|
Common combinations
- underutilised resource
- Solar energy remains an underutilised resource in many sunny countries.
- underutilised capacity
- The airline cut flights because of underutilised capacity.
- underutilised staff
- Managers were told to retrain underutilised staff.
- underutilised potential
- The region has huge underutilised potential for tourism.
Synonyms and how they differ
- underused
- More common and less formal; it means the same but is used in everyday speech.
- underemployed
- Used mainly about workers who have jobs below their skill level, not about things.
Opposites
Word family
- underutilize verb
- To use something less than fully.
- underutilization noun
- The state of not being used enough.
Commonly confused: underutilised or underused? underutilised or misused?
underutilised vs underused
This is the everyday word; 'underutilised' is more formal and common in business writing.
underutilised vs misused
This means used wrongly or badly, not simply used too little.
Practice
The company sold its ______ buildings to raise money.
Choose one answer.
An adjective is needed before the noun 'buildings'. 'Underutilised' fits; 'underutilisation' is a noun and cannot modify 'buildings'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “underutilised”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.