Standard Lemma guide

underkill

noun · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈʌndəˌkɪl/
  • US: /ˈʌndɚˌkɪl/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌʌndəˈkɪl/
  • US: /ˌʌndɚˈkɪl/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Insufficient disposal because of inadequate inspection criteria.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: business, manufacturing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The situation where a weapon does too little destruction, or less than it potentially could.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To dispose of too few items because of inadequate inspection criteria.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, manufacturing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From under- + kill.