undercorrect

Undercorrect is a term used to describe a situation where an adjustment, correction, or intervention is insufficient to fully address a problem or achieve a desired outcome. It implies that while some effort was made to rectify a situation, the action taken did not go far enough to resolve the issue entirely. This can apply to a wide range of contexts, including financial matters, medical treatments, repairs, and even social policies.

In a financial context, undercorrecting might mean failing to make up a complete deficit or not adequately provisioning for future liabilities. For example, a company that undercorrects its budget might find itself in a worse financial position later. In medicine, an undercorrect treatment could be one that manages symptoms but does not eliminate the underlying cause of an illness, leading to a relapse or incomplete recovery.

The concept of undercorrecting highlights the importance of thoroughness and completeness when addressing problems. It suggests that a partial solution may be ineffective and, in some cases, could even be counterproductive if it creates a false sense of resolution. Identifying undercorrection often involves evaluating whether the intended goals have been fully met or if residual issues remain. The opposite of undercorrecting is overcorrecting, where an intervention is too extreme, or fully correcting, where the adjustment is precisely adequate.