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.
An accomplished coach such as Thomas Frank, for example, appeared better suited to leading an underdog Brentford side more willing to play his pragmatic style of football than the Tottenham team he managed this season.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
Apple has come a long way from its days as a scrappy underdog in the personal-computing world.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026
Gray Davis was a huge underdog who prevailed in a wide-open 1998 contest.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2026
Everyone loves an underdog, but doing so may have been costly recently.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
Matt knew he’d been, quite literally, an underdog, and Maria couldn’t resist a crusade.
From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer
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.
