Underworked

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Having less work than usual or needed, resulting in excess free time or idleness
2. Experiencing a shortage of tasks or responsibilities in a job or activity
3. Being assigned insufficient duties or workload, leading to underutilization

Etymology: "Underworked" is a plain English formation: the prefix "under-", meaning insufficient or below the proper amount, attached to "worked," the past participle of "work." Read literally, it describes someone or something that has been given less work than is needed or expected, which matches the modern sense of a job that leaves a person with too few tasks. The second route in the source treats it as "underwork" with the adjective ending "-ed," so the two analyses converge on the same meaning. "Underwork" is the noun or verb base, and the suffix turns it into a descriptive adjective. Either way, the word is built from transparent parts, so its meaning is easy to read from its construction.

Synonyms: underutilized, overlooked

Antonyms: overworked, busy