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Synonyms

underling

American  
[uhn-der-ling] / ˈʌn dər lɪŋ /

noun

  1. a subordinate, especially one of slight importance.

    Synonyms:
    hireling, lackey, flunky, menial
underling British  
/ ˈʌndəlɪŋ /

noun

  1. a subordinate or lackey

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of underling

1125–75; Middle English. See under-, -ling 1

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.

Draganov treats him like a grizzly bear, hissing “Don’t move!” to an underling when Korpi makes eye contact with their car.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2025

On Tuesday, he held a press conference to announce relatively minor news that could have been delivered by an underling: He intended to move U.S.

From Salon • Sep. 4, 2025

While the geopolitical machinations rumble on, the underling success of Georgia’s second-hand car industry can be explained by its geography.

From BBC • Oct. 13, 2024

What kind of terrible employer has an underling borrow against his own home to cover up his boss’s sordid lies and extra-marital affairs?

From Slate • Jun. 3, 2024

I will duly retreat to the position of the good volunteer, the invisible underling.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

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.