underdog

noun

un·​der·​dog ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg How to pronounce underdog (audio)
1
: a loser or predicted loser in a struggle or contest
2
: a victim of injustice or persecution

Examples of underdog in a Sentence

I always root for the underdog instead of the favorite. As a lawyer, she consistently represented the underdog.
Recent Examples on the Web The Commodores ranking is likely a short stay facing No. 5 Texas as an 18.5 point home underdog. Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 The series began, much like its protagonist, as a scrappy underdog before taking on legend status with the 2021 sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 23 Oct. 2024 The Bears are the the underdog in the division at sports books with the other three teams favored to make the playoffs. Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 20 Oct. 2024 While Houston is the underdog this week, the Texans are full of surprises this season and will surely fight for the upset under Stroud's direction. Shafaq Patel, Axios, 18 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for underdog 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'underdog.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of underdog was in 1859

Dictionary Entries Near underdog

Cite this Entry

“Underdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underdog. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

underdog

noun
un·​der·​dog ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg How to pronounce underdog (audio)
: the loser or predicted loser in a struggle
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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