underdog
Americannoun
-
a person who is expected to lose in a contest or conflict.
-
a victim of social or political injustice.
The underdogs were beginning to organize their protests.
noun
-
the competitor least likely to win a fight or contest
-
a person in adversity or in a position of inferiority
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Academy Awards, List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
My Brother Sam is Dead
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Plus, California studies AI job losses, Anthropic’s revenue soars and Nvidia plays the role of $5 trillion underdog.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
That said, the Knicks will be the underdog in the Finals: Traders on Polymarket currently give the team a 29% chance of winning it all.
From Barron's • May 26, 2026
Verhoeven is a huge underdog and victory over Usyk would rank among the biggest shocks in boxing history, arguably surpassing Buster Douglas' stunning win over Mike Tyson in Tokyo in 1990.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
Once a scrappy underdog in a race that OpenAI appeared to have already won, the gap between the two companies has narrowed, with new data suggesting Anthropic’s growth continues to accelerate rapidly.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026
I didn’t go out on the strip overconfident, because I knew Cecilia would be a tough opponent and I had just proved in my last bout that the underdog can win.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
