underperform

American  

[uhn-der-per-fawrm] / ˌʌn dər pərˈfɔrm /

verb (used with or without object)

1. to perform less well than (another of its kind, a general average, etc.) or less well than expected.

   Surprisingly, the stock has underperformed the market indexes all year. Several of our best players consistently underperform.

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Other Word Forms

• underperformance
  noun

Etymology

Origin of underperform

under- + perform

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

underperform

As for how to invest, Barry and Hunter recommend holding on to 2-year/10-year “steepeners,” meaning is a bet that longer-term Treasury prices will underperform their shorter-term counterparts, driven by more supply and inflation concerns.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

The bank lifts its stock-price target to 39 euros from 37 euros and keeps its underperform rating.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

“If revenues underperform or planned savings prove more difficult to achieve, pressure to identify additional cost reductions could increase,” the report said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Jefferies downgrades the stock to underperform from hold, cuts its price target to $263.66 from $285.56.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

They would bet, for instance, that bonds with large numbers of loans made in California would underperform bonds with very little of California in them.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis