underachiever
Americannoun
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a student who performs less well in school than would be expected on the basis of abilities indicated by intelligence and aptitude tests, etc.
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a person or thing that performs below expectations.
Etymology
Origin of underachiever
1945–50; under- + achiever ( def. )
Vocabulary lists containing underachiever
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.
Suddenly, Walker has a new label—not as an underachiever, but as the burgeoning star he was always supposed to be.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2026
All eyes are on Herbert in his sixth season, trying to shed the label of postseason underachiever, while some of his signal-calling peers — defined by playoff success — remain a tier above.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 26, 2025
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
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
