underbid

American  

[uhn-der-bid] / ˌʌn dərˈbɪd /

verb (used with object)

underbid, underbidding

1. to bid less than (another bid) or less than the bid of (another bidder), especially in seeking a contract to be awarded to the lowest bid or bidder; make an offer at a lower price than.

2. Cards. to bid less than the value or worth of (a contract or hand).

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verb (used without object)

underbid, underbidding

1. to bid lower than another or too low for the value of something.

underbid British  

/ ˌʌndəˈbɪd /

verb

1. to submit a bid lower than that of (others)

   Irena underbid the other dealers

2. to submit an excessively low bid for

3. bridge to make a bid that will win fewer tricks than is justified by the strength of the hand

   he underbid his hand

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Other Word Forms

• underbidder
  noun

Etymology

Origin of underbid

First recorded in 1585–95; under- + bid ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

underbid underbidding

A stalking horse bid is an initial bid on the assets of a bankrupt company, setting the low-end bidding bar so that other bidders cannot underbid the purchase price.

From Reuters ● Sep. 14, 2023

Saint Francis had been exceeding Nebraska’s caseload requirements and ultimately conceded that it had underbid its contract with the state.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 16, 2022

Some of its pork plants kill more than 1,000 pigs an hour, enabling JBS to operate off a slimmer profit margin and underbid other companies for the bailout contracts.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 4, 2019

The shift opened the field to small businesses that were willing to underbid, and outhustle, the established firms.

From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2014

Ours, losing this benefit, would need a higher freight out, in which, therefore, they will be underbid by the British.

From Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 3 by Randolph, Thomas Jefferson

Critics contend the company has been able to secure the deals by dramatically underbidding competitors due to subsidies from Beijing.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 11, 2019

Carillion’s demise was likely caused by a combination of rapid expansion and underbidding for contracts that have had low margins since the financial crisis, analysts say.

From New York Times ● Jan. 15, 2018

Applicants might win jobs by underbidding the competition, but they are apt to saddle themselves with a wage well below the market rate.

From Time ● Jun. 12, 2012

Sanitation at the base is handled by a private company, Sanco Enterprises SA, which won the contract over the summer by underbidding a rival.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 19, 2010

Whittier, Wheatcroft & Co. had lost important contracts because of underbidding, due to knowledge surreptitiously obtained.

From Tales of Fantasy and Fact by Matthews, Brander