Underfulfil

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To fall short of completing or satisfying a target, obligation or expectation that was previously set
2. To not fully achieve what was promised, required or planned, leaving a goal only partly met
3. Failing to carry out a commitment, quota or duty to the full extent that was agreed or expected

Etymology: "Underfulfil" is an alternative spelling of "underfulfill," and it is a plain compound: the prefix "under-" joined to the verb "fulfil." The prefix "under-" comes from Old English and carries the sense of "beneath" or "below," and in verbs it usually means "insufficiently" or "to a lesser degree than required." So to underfulfil something is to carry it out only partly, falling short of what was promised or expected. The base verb "fulfil" has a longer history, built from "full" and "fill," with the sense of making something complete. Attaching "under-" to it produces a word whose meaning follows directly from its parts, which is why it is easy to understand even without a dictionary. The spelling with a single "l" is the more common form in British English, while the double "l" is standard in American English.

Synonyms: underachieve, underdeliver, fall short

Antonyms: overfulfil, fulfil