underdog

American  

[uhn-der-dawg, -dog] / ˈʌn dərˌdɔg, -ˌdɒg /

noun

1. a person who is expected to lose in a contest or conflict.

2. a victim of social or political injustice.

   The underdogs were beginning to organize their protests.

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underdog British  

/ ˈʌndəˌdɒɡ /

noun

1. the competitor least likely to win a fight or contest

2. a person in adversity or in a position of inferiority

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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!"

Example Sentences

Apple has come a long way from its days as a scrappy underdog in the personal-computing world.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

But because fewer bettors typically back the underdog, payouts usually don’t eclipse sportsbooks’ overall revenue.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Their total ineptitude—120 losses out of 161 games in 1962, their first season—helped make them ironic underdog heroes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

The current race similarly features a political heavyweight, a wealthy businessman with a substantial advertising presence, and underdog candidates defying expectations about their viability.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

You’ve just got to root for the underdog, don’t you?

From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate

Related Words

• dark horse
• longshot