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.

Mark Williams famously took sweets from someone in the front row during the 2018 final and, fuelled by Minstrels and Wine Gums, went on to defeat Higgins to win his third world title.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

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

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

They didn’t know the first thing about Korean stocks or third world currencies, but they didn’t really need to.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis