underdog

noun

un·​der·​dog ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg How to pronounce underdog (audio)
Synonyms of underdognext
1
: a loser or predicted loser in a struggle or contest
… the biggest obstacle has been the adjustment from underdog last season to contender …—Mike Wise
2
: a victim of injustice or persecution
… portrayed himself as an honest underdog that the Government would do anything to stop.—Michael Specter

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Alexandra Eala, the 21-year-old sensation from the Philippines, ranked 18th in the world, awaited a second serve from Mary Stoiana, a 23-year-old American underdog. — Albert Samaha, Washington Post, 2 Sep. 2026 Winning twice as underdogs Newton and Greater Atlanta Christian are top-five teams that have boosted their credentials with upset victories over top-10 teams to open the season. — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 1 Sep. 2026 What to read next Shows like Cowboy Bebop had a ragtag team of underdogs exploring the solar system, instilling lessons about loneliness and existentialism. — George Yang, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026 If Dublin has any luck left for underdogs, Belichick could certainly use some. — Giovanni Malloy, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for underdog

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of underdog was in 1859

Rhymes for underdog

See All Rhymes for underdog

Browse Nearby Words

underdo
underdog
underdone
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Cite this Entry

“Underdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underdog. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

underdog

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

More from Merriam-Webster on underdog

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