underdog
Americannoun
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underdogs
plural
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a person who is expected to lose in a contest or conflict.
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a victim of social or political injustice.
The underdogs were beginning to organize their protests.
noun
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the competitor least likely to win a fight or contest
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a person in adversity or in a position of inferiority
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of underdog
1875–80, under- + dog ( def. )
Explanation
An underdog is someone who isn't likely to win a competition or contest. When a professional basketball player faces off against a high school student who's a foot shorter, the high schooler is the underdog. Anyone at a disadvantage, whether in general or in a particular situation, can be called an underdog. In sports, it's common to call the team that's expected to lose in a game the underdog. This word was originally used in dogfighting around 1887, to refer to a dog defeated in a fight. A 1960s cartoon character named Underdog was an unlikely (and under-qualified) superhero dog. The show's tagline was "There's no need to fear! Underdog is here!"
Vocabulary lists containing underdog
Idioms and Expressions, List 1
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Academy Awards, List 2
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My Brother Sam is Dead
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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:
So nothing against your beloved, but I would be excited to see an underdog or somebody kind of an outsider.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
He was sensationally rocked by a huge uppercut from underdog Prenga in the opening round, and then hit the canvas again later in the round.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
Who wouldn’t be moved by the heroic performances of underdog countries against the game’s traditional powers, like tiny Cabo Verde and ancient Egypt?
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
The new format, expanding team participation from 32 to 48, has brought to center stage smaller, underdog countries that have outperformed expectations, produced unexpected heroes and warmed our collective hearts.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
He identified with the little guy and the underdog without ever exactly being one himself.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
A recommitment to the outcasts, the overlooked, the underdogs of society.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
And on this point, the Norwegians are willing to concede that they are underdogs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
England, for the first hour, struggled as they did against Ghana to break down a Panama side ranked 42nd in the world, even offering the underdogs hope with another vulnerable defensive display.
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
They do not view themselves as underdogs at this tournament but this would have been one of the biggest wins in their cricketing history.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
Jewish people have been the underdogs so often that they understand what it’s like to be an underdog.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
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.
