underachieve
Americanverb (used without object)
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to perform, especially academically, below the potential indicated by tests of one's mental ability or aptitude.
-
to perform below expectations or achieve less than expected, especially by others.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of underachieve
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.
See Examples For:
There has been particular concern that Protestant males from low-income backgrounds underachieve at school.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2024
Reality check: Voters just can’t quit the Aggies, but what if we told you that coach Jimbo Fisher’s team is more likely to overachieve in 2023 than underachieve?
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 15, 2023
Schiano’s Ohio State defenses went on to underachieve by the standards of their immense talent advantage.
From Slate ● May 12, 2021
The Browns have six Pro Bowl players on offense and four on defense, and with Kevin Stefanski as coach, they won’t underachieve like they did last year.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 9, 2020
The days of watching the Bruins underachieve are likely dwindling with Chip Kelly now at UCLA.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 13, 2017
But in college, first at Arizona State then as a graduate student at Notre Dame, he underachieved.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
It was Sabalenka's fifth defeat from nine majors final and provides further weight to the argument that she has underachieved at the biggest tournaments given her dominance on the WTA Tour.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
Three-time winners Saracens have underachieved in Europe over the past few seasons and found themselves needing points from their final two tricky pool games.
From BBC ● Jan. 11, 2026
In the eyes of the program’s most fervent supporters, the team has underachieved.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 30, 2025
“We are all here today because we underachieved in 2023,” Schneider said.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 16, 2024
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 ● Aug. 6, 2025
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 ● May 27, 2025
Until January though he has to get a tune out of an underachieving, underperforming squad and work out his priorities for that next transfer window.
From BBC ● Nov. 28, 2024
The Lakers aren’t going to buy out LeBron James’ contract or trade Anthony Davis, so fans better get used to the team underachieving in the playoffs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2024
As if Ethan—world’s most underachieving online creeper—had anything to do with this breakthrough.
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
