noun
- the lowest social or economic classes in society, especially those who are chronically unemployed or dependent on welfare
Usage: plural form; sociology
Examples
- Government programs aim to help members of the underclasses find stable employment.
- The study examined how education can provide opportunities for the underclasses.
- Urban renewal projects often displace the underclasses without providing alternatives.
- Social workers focus on supporting families from the underclasses.
- The politician promised policies to address the needs of the underclasses.
- Economic inequality has expanded the size of the underclasses in many cities.