desnutrirse

A common verb, almost always reflexive, describing becoming malnourished — used constantly in medical, humanitarian, and news contexts about child nutrition (miles de niños se desnutren por falta de alimentos, thousands of children become malnourished from lack of food).

• Muchos niños se desnutren en zonas de conflicto. — Many children become malnourished in conflict zones.
• El paciente se desnutrió tras meses de tratamiento. — The patient became malnourished after months of treatment.
• Si no comes bien, tu cuerpo se desnutre. — If you don't eat well, your body becomes malnourished.

Confusing desnutrirse (to become malnourished, a process) with the adjective desnutrido (malnourished, a state) — está desnutrido describes the resulting condition, while se desnutre describes it happening.

Often confused with alimentar.