underachiever

[ uhn-der-uh-chee-ver ]

noun

1. a student who performs less well in school than would be expected on the basis of abilities indicated by intelligence and aptitude tests, etc.
2. a person or thing that performs below expectations.

Word History and Origins

Origin of underachiever¹

1945–50; under- + achiever ( def )

Example Sentences

Central Florida gladly hired such an underachiever, and the Golden Knights play the first game of the Malzhan era against Boise State, which also has a new coach in Andy Avalos because Bryan Harsin left to … replace Malzhan at Auburn.

From Washington Post

By those measures, this year’s crop of 2 seeds has some potential underachievers.

From FiveThirtyEight

Unless you too achieved billionaire status in your 20s, Patrick and John Collison might make you feel like an underachiever.

From Quartz

Long the chronic underachiever of the developing world, her country has now claimed its place on the global stage.

From The Daily Beast

Related Words

• disappointment