underachiever

American

[uhn-der-uh-chee-ver] / ˌʌn dər əˈtʃi vər /

noun

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

Etymology

Origin of underachiever

1945–50; under- + achiever ( def. )

Vocabulary lists containing underachiever

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.

He is regarded as an underachiever with a gaping hole in his otherwise glittering CV because he has yet to win the Masters at Augusta to complete the career Grand Slam.

From BBC • Jan. 28, 2025

He could spend the remainder of his career here as an underachiever who couldn’t stay healthy, or he could go elsewhere and be a reborn savior.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2024

A committed underachiever, Remi was going blind in her left eye but too slowly to warrant anybody’s concern.

From Slate • Jan. 27, 2024

The Tar Heels, a No. 8 seed by résumé only, continued their late-season transformation from underachiever to powerhouse.

From Washington Post • Mar. 27, 2022

Bart Simpson, the underachiever, "mediocre and proud of it," is a model for everyone who is told that what really counts is to feel good, period.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai

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