Synonyms

underpants

American

[uhn-der-pants] / ˈʌn dərˌpænts /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

drawers or shorts worn under outer clothing, usually next to the skin.

underpants British

/ ˈʌndəˌpænts /

plural noun

Often shortened to: pants. a man's undergarment covering the body from the waist or hips to the top of the thighs or knees

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of underpants

First recorded in 1920–25; under- + pants

Vocabulary lists containing underpants

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: under-

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Nearby, a tactical belt with pouches for holding gun magazines was discarded on the ground alongside several articles of designer clothing, including a pair of Christian Dior underpants.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026

Joining NFL team without a good QB is scarier than showing up to Day One in your underpants.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026

In 2019, a pair of underpants believed to have belonged to Eva Braun, Hitler’s wife, were gaveled at almost $5,000.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 14, 2023

The court was shown mobile phone footage of Mr Poole lying in the street in just his underpants with Mr Hall crouched beside him.

From BBC • May 4, 2023

I can’t see her washing out her underpants, for instance, and wringing them in a towel, hanging them on the bathroom towel rack, as I do.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023