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

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

The proposal also covers bids in public tenders in order to prevent the use of foreign subsidies to grow market share or underbid European rivals to gain access to strategically important markets or critical infrastructure.

From Reuters ● Jun. 1, 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

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 Thomas Jefferson Randolph

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

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

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

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

From Tales of Fantasy and Fact by Brander Matthews