underload
Less than full
Underload is the opposite of overload—having too little rather than too much.
A machine that's underloaded runs below capacity.
A truck that's underloaded carries less than it could.
The term appears in electrical engineering, logistics, and discussions of cognitive or physical strain: The generator was underloaded and running inefficiently.
To underload is to load insufficiently.
Lacking adequate force
- inefficientPoor at using resources
- idleWithout activity or purpose
- underutilizedInsufficiently put to work
- suboptimalBelow the ideal standard
throttled · reduced · diminished · light-duty · slack · underperforming · generator · engine
Having too little
- inadequateNot sufficient for purpose
- scantBarely adequate amount
- sparseThinly scattered or distributed
- meagerDeficient in quantity
shortage · dearth · paucity · lacking · wanting · skimpy · minimal · scarce
Insufficient employees for workload
- underemployedInadequately employed for qualifications
- idleWithout activity or purpose
- slackAbsence of tautness
- downtimePeriod of non-operation
bench · surplus · redundant · underutilized · overstaffed · waiting · available · unassigned
Containing too little
- half-emptyContaining fifty percent
- partialFavoring one side
- lightVisible electromagnetic radiation
- underweightBelow normal mass
incomplete · sparse · trucking · shipping · cargo · freight · container · pallet
underpowered
Lacking adequate force
- inefficientPoor at using resources
- idleWithout activity or purpose
- underutilizedInsufficiently put to work
suboptimal · throttled · reduced · diminished · light-duty · slack · underperforming · generator · engine · circuit
deficient
Having too little
- inadequateNot sufficient for purpose
- scantBarely adequate amount
- sparseThinly scattered or distributed
meager · shortage · dearth · paucity · lacking · wanting · skimpy · minimal · scarce · limited
understaffed
Insufficient employees for workload
- underemployedInadequately employed for qualifications
- idleWithout activity or purpose
- slackAbsence of tautness
downtime · bench · surplus · redundant · underutilized · overstaffed · waiting · available · unassigned · on-call
underfilled
Containing too little
- half-emptyContaining fifty percent
- partialFavoring one side
- lightVisible electromagnetic radiation
underweight · incomplete · sparse · trucking · shipping · cargo · freight · container · pallet
- collegecampus, courses, application, dorms, dorm room
- mechanicsforce, turning, rotation, momentum, velocity
- college creditscredits, elective credits, units, AP credits, semester hours
- System Metricslatency, throughput, response time, uptime, downtime
underloadoverload
Burden beyond capacity
overburden · overtax · overstress · overwhelm · overweight