underequipped
Missing needed gear
Underequipped means lacking adequate equipment, supplies, or resources for a task or situation.
The term often appears in contexts of military forces, hospitals, or schools that don't have what they need to function properly: The underequipped soldiers lacked basic body armor.
It can extend to personal preparedness: I felt underequipped for the interview.
Inferior in armament
- undermannedInsufficient personnel available
- understrengthBelow required numbers
- ragtagDisorganized and mismatched
- outnumberedExceeded in count
exposed · vulnerable · unfortified · unshielded · defenseless · unprotected · unsupported
Lacking readiness beforehand
- ill-preparedInsufficiently equipped beforehand
- unreadyNot yet prepared
- untrainedLacking learned skills
- inexperiencedLacking practical knowledge
unskilled · novice · green · raw · unseasoned · unqualified · outmatched · overmatched
Insufficiently financially supported
- undersuppliedGiven too little
- lackingBeing without something
- short-handedLacking sufficient personnel
- stretchedPulled to lengthen
strapped · bare-bones · shoestring · makeshift · inadequate · insufficient · deficient · sparse
Open to attack
- exposedOut in open
- defenselessWithout means to resist
- unprotectedWithout safeguard or shield
- at-riskSubject to potential harm
endangered · precarious · susceptible · unsafe · unshielded · unfortified · helpless · outmatched
Insufficient employees for workload
- overworkedLaboring beyond healthy limits
- overwhelmedDefeated by sheer volume
- undermannedInsufficient personnel available
- short-handedLacking sufficient personnel
outgunned
Inferior in armament
- undermannedInsufficient personnel available
- understrengthBelow required numbers
- ragtagDisorganized and mismatched
outnumbered · exposed · vulnerable · unfortified · unshielded · defenseless · unprotected · unsupported
unprepared
Lacking readiness beforehand
- ill-preparedInsufficiently equipped beforehand
- unreadyNot yet prepared
- untrainedLacking learned skills
inexperienced · unskilled · novice · green · raw · unseasoned · unqualified · outmatched · overmatched · outgunned
underfunded
Insufficiently financially supported
- undersuppliedGiven too little
- lackingBeing without something
- short-handedLacking sufficient personnel
stretched · strapped · bare-bones · shoestring · makeshift · inadequate · insufficient · deficient · sparse · meager
vulnerable
Open to attack
- exposedOut in open
- defenselessWithout means to resist
- unprotectedWithout safeguard or shield
at-risk · endangered · precarious · susceptible · unsafe · unshielded · unfortified · helpless · outmatched · overwhelmed
understaffed
Insufficient employees for workload
- overworkedLaboring beyond healthy limits
- overwhelmedDefeated by sheer volume
- undermannedInsufficient personnel available
underequippedwell-equipped
Having adequate supplies
overequipped · armed to the teeth · kitted out · tooled up · outfitted
under, equip, equipped, equipping, equips, equipment, overequipped, unequipped, reequipped