ill-equipped

American  

[il-i-kwipt] / ˈɪl ɪˈkwɪpt /

adjective

1. badly or inadequately equipped.

   an ill-equipped army.

2. ill-prepared.

   a student ill-equipped to begin calculus.

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Etymology

Origin of ill-equipped

First recorded in 1955–60

Explanation

Someone or something that's ill-equipped isn't suited or prepared to do a certain task. If you faint at the sight of blood, you're probably ill-equipped to be a surgeon. Soldiers without weapons or armor are ill-equipped for battle, and if you don't have an umbrella or a raincoat, you're ill-equipped for walking to school in the pouring rain. You might also be emotionally or temperamentally ill-equipped. If you are afraid of heights, you are most likely ill-equipped to be a roofer. When someone's equipped, they have the proper equipment, and when you add the prefix ill-, it's clear they're lacking what they need.

Example Sentences

Most of his teachers were ill-equipped to handle his behavioral problems, later diagnosed as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

State agencies, however, were ill-equipped to accommodate the order.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2026

At the same time, Xi had to contend with an outmoded command structure that was seen as susceptible to corruption and ill-equipped to fight modern wars.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

After two decades of nearly flat demand, it’s ill-equipped to handle the massive needs of data centers, which now consume 5% of the nation’s total power.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 17, 2026

C.P. had toured their crumbling and ill-equipped schools.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

• impotent
• inadequate
• incapable
• ineligible
• unable
• unprepared
• unqualified
• useless