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Prepositions after adjectives

underrepresented: in, among, by, at, or on

Underrepresented is most often followed by in or among when talking about groups, fields, or places where representation is low.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are used with underrepresented?

Use underrepresented in for organisations, industries, groups, or areas. Use underrepresented among for a larger population group. By usually names the group doing the representation. At and on are usually separate place or position expressions, not fixed combinations with underrepresented.

Women remain underrepresented in senior management.
Rural students are underrepresented among applicants.
The region is underrepresented by only two delegates.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
underrepresented in + field/group

Showing low representation within a system or area

Use in for organisations, professions, sectors, lists, or activities.

Older workers are underrepresented in the tech industry.
The language is underrepresented in online media.
2
underrepresented among + people

Showing low numbers within a larger population

Use among when comparing one group with other people in a broader set.

Women are underrepresented among senior researchers.
First-generation students remain underrepresented among scholarship recipients.
3
underrepresented by + number/group

Naming who or what provides the representation

Use by to mention the representatives themselves or the amount of representation.

The district is underrepresented by only one councillor.
The community was underrepresented by the survey sample.
4
underrepresented at + place/event

Referring to a location or event

At can describe where underrepresentation happens, but it functions as a place adjunct rather than a fixed adjective-preposition pair.

Women were underrepresented at the conference this year.
Local artists seemed underrepresented at the exhibition.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
underrepresented in
People with disabilities are underrepresented in leadership roles.
Standard for fields, organisations, and activities.
underrepresented among
Young voters are underrepresented among party members.
Standard for comparison within a broader population.
underrepresented by
The area is underrepresented by only three seats.
Used to identify representatives or numbers.
underrepresented at
Women were underrepresented at the meeting.
At introduces the location or event, not a fixed collocation.
underrepresented on
Women are underrepresented on corporate boards.
On is natural with committees, boards, panels, or lists because it belongs to the noun phrase.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using on as a general replacement for in

Use on mainly with boards, committees, panels, or lists.

✕ The group is underrepresented on the industry. ✓ The group is underrepresented in the industry.

Confusing among and in

Among compares people within a larger population, while in refers to a field or institution.

✕ Women are underrepresented among the banking sector. ✓ Women are underrepresented in the banking sector.

Using by for the affected group

By usually introduces representatives, not the excluded group.

✕ Students are underrepresented by universities. ✓ Students are underrepresented in universities.

Treating at as the main fixed preposition

At usually adds location or event information.

✓ Women were underrepresented at the conference.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. Women remain underrepresented ___ engineering.
2. Rural students are underrepresented ___ scholarship recipients.
3. The city is underrepresented ___ only two delegates.

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Frequently asked questions

Is underrepresented in the most common pattern?

Yes. It is the standard choice for industries, organisations, media, and activities.

Can I say underrepresented among?

Yes. Use it when comparing a group with other people in a larger population.

Is underrepresented at incorrect?

No. At can describe the place or event where underrepresentation occurs, but it is not the main fixed preposition after the adjective.

ubiquitous in, on, across, throughout or for? "ugly in", "ugly for" or "ugly of"? ultimate in, of, for, on or as? "unacceptable to", "unacceptable in" or "unacceptable for"? unaccounted for unaccustomed to or in? unacquainted with unaffected by, in, for or with? "unaffordable for" or "unaffordable to"? unanimous in, on, about, regarding or for? "unattractive to" or "unattractive for"? "unavailable for" or "unavailable to"?

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