understudy

American  

[uhn-der-stuhd-ee] / ˈʌn dərˌstʌd i /

verb (used with object)

• understudies,
  present (3rd person singular)
• understudied,
  past participle,  past
• understudying
  present participle

1. to learn (a role) in order to replace the regular actor or actress when necessary.

2. to act as understudy to (an actor or actress).

   to understudy the lead.

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verb (used without object)

• understudies,
  present (3rd person singular)
• understudied,
  past participle,  past
• understudying
  present participle

1. to act or work as an understudy.

noun

• understudies
  plural

1. a performer who learns the role of another in order to serve as a replacement if necessary.

understudy British  

/ ˈʌndəˌstʌdɪ /

verb

1. (tr) to study (a role or part) so as to be able to replace the usual actor or actress if necessary

2. to act as understudy to (an actor or actress)

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noun

1. an actor or actress who studies a part so as to be able to replace the usual actor or actress if necessary

2. anyone who is trained to take the place of another in case of need

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• understudies
  plural

Participles

• understudying
  present
• understudied
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• understudy
  simple
• understudies
  simple
• have understudied
  perfect
• has understudied
  perfect
• am understudying
  progressive
• are understudying
  progressive
• is understudying
  progressive
• have been understudying
  perfect progressive
• has been understudying
  perfect progressive

Past

• understudied
  simple
• had understudied
  perfect
• was understudying
  progressive
• were understudying
  progressive
• had been understudying
  perfect progressive

Future

• will understudy
  simple
• will have understudied
  perfect
• will be understudying
  progressive
• will have been understudying
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of understudy

First recorded in 1870–75; under- + study

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Explanation

In the theater, an understudy is a backup or alternate for another actor in the play. If the lead in the school play comes down with the flu, her understudy will have a chance to perform the starring role. The show must go on (as they say in show business)—which is why an understudy has an important job. He or she has to learn every line and be ready to fill at the last minute. You can also use this word as a verb, so you might say, "I'm going to understudy the role of Aaron Burr in Hamilton!" An understudy often plays a smaller role in the play as well, filling in for main roles as needed.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

understudy understudies understudied understudying

But on Saturday, the quarterback who had chosen to become an understudy was suddenly asked to become a savior.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026

I was cast as an understudy on the soap opera “One Life to Live.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

Gardner’s wife, Emily Larger, is in the ensemble and serves as assistant dance captain, as well as an understudy for Mrs. Potts and Madame de l’Amour.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Ashley Cole was cemented as England's first-choice left-back for the 2010 World Cup, but who would go to South Africa as his understudy?

From BBC ● May 21, 2026

Therefore I propose that someone with a keen sense of the theatrical, a talent for mimicry and improvising dialogue—a playwright, perhaps?—be engaged as an understudy to the ghost, as it were.”

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

Also displaying massive versatility is Summer Severin, who, in addition to being an ensemble swing member, serves as dance captain and understudies the role of Marlena.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

England have already lost Will Stuart and Asher Opoku-Fordjour for the Six Nations leaving Vilikesa 'Billy' Sela and Trevor Davison, who have three caps between them, as understudies to Joe Heyes at tight-head.

From BBC ● Jan. 27, 2026

Viewers watch as Jeanine intellectualizes each character’s motivations and inner thoughts, dictating them to the performers onstage and their understudies.

From Salon ● Mar. 12, 2025

His understudies, Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman, are arguably better than any other goalie in the tournament.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2025

There should be understudies for all the principal parts, and there must be at least one full-dress rehearsal.

From Patriotic Plays and Pageants for Young People by Constance D'Arcy Mackay

He began studying the Tar Pits' relatively understudied reptile and amphibian collections while working there as a Postdoctoral Fellow.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026

She said it is too new and understudied.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 2026

He recently analysed just how understudied most other bacteria have been relative to E. coli.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2025

Tudge selected this specialty precisely because it is so understudied.

From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2025

Uncle "understudied" the Squire as he addressed his friends, thrusting his hands into his pockets and standing very upright.

From The Soul of Susan Yellam by Horace Annesley Vachell

And the next day, I got cast understudying Faith Prince and Kate Nelligan in “Bad Habits,” a play at the Manhattan Theatre Club.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2025

A staple of the D.C. area’s stages since 2015, the 28-year-old actor already knew the part after understudying it for a 2020 production at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 15, 2023

Now graduated, Shavit-Lonstein works two day jobs while “swinging” — understudying multiple roles — in “Winnie the Pooh” at StoryBook Theater in Kirkland.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 6, 2022

It was there where Poitier was given the role of understudying Harry Belafonte in "Days of our Youth."

From Fox News ● Jan. 7, 2022

She was understudying Martha, too, when anyone was sick in the town, and needed nursing or a helping hand.

From The Black Opal by Katharine Susannah Prichard

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Related Words

• backup
• stand-in

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