Synonyms

underpants

American

[uhn-der-pants] / ˈʌn dərˌpænts /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

drawers or shorts worn under outer clothing, usually next to the skin.

underpants British

/ ˈʌndəˌpænts /

plural noun

Often shortened to: pants. a man's undergarment covering the body from the waist or hips to the top of the thighs or knees

"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 underpants

First recorded in 1920–25; under- + pants

Vocabulary lists containing underpants

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: under-

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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.

Joining NFL team without a good QB is scarier than showing up to Day One in your underpants.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026

"If Santa Claus is watching, the gladiator would like a nice new pair of blue underpants for Christmas please," he joked.

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025

"Further, our members are adults. They do not need to be given instructions by the media about matters as trivial as the wearing of jewellery or underpants."

From BBC • Nov. 7, 2024

The room erupted in cheers upon hearing the total, but audience members soon had their underpants in a twist over the judges’ reactions to Manning’s audition.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 24, 2024

He was wearing white underpants and a matching undershirt, stained yellow in the underarms with sweat.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023