third world

NOUN

underdeveloped countries

Synonyms

WEAK

developing countries developing nations economically developing countries economically developing nations emergent nations underdeveloped nations

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In November 2024, Koguan said he was “no longer all-in-Tesla” and began acquiring Treasury bills, citing his fear of a “1929 type stock market crash” and a potential third world war.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026

Two-time defending champion Kim, 25, has dominated women's halfpipe since the 2022 Beijing Games, winning X Games gold in 2024 and 2025 and claiming her third world championship title last year.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

Littler confidently swept aside 20th seed Ryan Searle on Friday to reach his third world final in as many years at Alexandra Palace - and nobody was in the slightest bit surprised.

From BBC • Jan. 3, 2026

Three years later, U2 lead singer Bono, singer-songwriter Bob Geldof and Jones met with Pope John Paul II as part of an effort to erase the debt load shouldered by third world nations.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 4, 2024

Popper distinguished between the world of physical objects, the world of mental processes and the third world, the world of ‘problems, conjectures, theories, arguments, journals and books’.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton