underclassman
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of underclassman
An Americanism dating back to 1870–75; under- + class + -man
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:
And when Jimmy Carter announced the return of the selective service in 1980, in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Gil, still an underclassman, decided to take a stand: He refused to sign up.
From Slate ● Mar. 25, 2026
He was an underclassman, and above him on the depth chart were several running backs: starter Nakia Watson, scatback Jaylen Jenkins, maybe even walk-on Dylan Paine.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 26, 2023
In his high-school band, it was a tradition for the underclassman to give each graduating senior a gift.
From New York Times ● Dec. 13, 2022
Though Coach Rich Hiegel cautioned against the strategy when she was an underclassman, the pair recently agreed that it would tap into her greatest strength: her mentality.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 18, 2022
A cute underclassman actually stops me in the hall and asks if I need help finding my way.
From "All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven
Senior Tyler Starling hits and pitches with the best, but it’s been underclassmen pushing the Chargers toward a title.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026
Palisades and Birmingham, loaded with starting lineups filled with underclassmen, took the first steps toward helping restore City Section credibility.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 15, 2026
Los Alamitos underclassmen laid down their helmets, one by one, on the five-yard line.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 6, 2025
Mast’s final message to his team in the locker room Friday included a pledge to help the seniors finish their degrees and help the underclassmen find a spot to continue playing college basketball.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 15, 2024
All of Beatriz’s friends and several underclassmen jump to their feet, like they’re cheering at a basketball game.
From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles
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.
