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

Critics have said the company is able to underbid competitors because of state subsidies.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 7, 2019

Academic jobs—especially in such “useless” fields as English, history, philosophy, and the foreign languages—are so scarce, and seekers so desperate, that if underbidding became standard practice, the winning underbid would always be zero.

From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2015

I tell you whoever underbid us will lose money by it, or else you’ll get poor stuff.”

From The Boss of Wind River by Chisholm, A. M. (Arthur Murray)

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

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

He could just broker the deals, finding the cheapest prices and underbidding the competition.

From Slate ● Dec. 30, 2011

Back then, he said, laughing, “she ripped me off by underbidding and then guilting me into selling my scooter to her.”

From New York Times ● Aug. 21, 2011

The literary men of Europe are recklessly underbidding each other in the attempt to show742 that life is sadder, or meaner, or baser, or emptier than had been supposed.

From The Arena Volume 4, No. 24, November, 1891 by Flower, B. O. (Benjamin Orange)