underachieve

American  

[uhn-der-uh-cheev] / ˌʌn dər əˈtʃiv /

verb (used without object)

underachieved, underachieving

1. to perform, especially academically, below the potential indicated by tests of one's mental ability or aptitude.

2. to perform below expectations or achieve less than expected, especially by others.

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underachieve British  

/ ˌundərəˈtʃiːv /

verb

1. (intr) to fail to achieve a performance appropriate to one's age or talents

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Other Word Forms

• underachievement noun
• underachiever noun

Etymology

Origin of underachieve

First recorded in 1950–55; under- + achieve

Example Sentences

As many England fans would testify, Gareth Southgate took on an England team that was seen as underachieving, and restored a degree of national pride to the game.

From BBC

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim says criticism from legendary former players is to be expected because the club is "underachieving".

From BBC

And when describing her underachieving brother’s shortcomings, she says, “He’s got the brains of a dung beetle and the ambitions of a French bureaucrat.”

From Los Angeles Times

Like Newcastle, Tottenham are another underachieving team who have flirted with major honours in recent years without quite being able to get over the line.

From BBC

Some of the underachieving Rockies players don’t blame Black, whose even-keel temperament, attention to detail and empathetic communication skills made him a respected leader.

From Los Angeles Times