underperform

American  

[uhn-der-per-fawrm] / ˌʌn dər pərˈfɔrm /

verb (used with or without object)

1. to perform less well than (another of its kind, a general average, etc.) or less well than expected.

   Surprisingly, the stock has underperformed the market indexes all year. Several of our best players consistently underperform.

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Other Word Forms

• underperformance
  noun

Etymology

Origin of underperform

under- + perform

Example Sentences

Decades of research by Jay Ritter at the University of Florida shows that most IPOs underperform similar-size companies and the market at large by several percentage points over the long term on an annualized basis.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

The Stifel analysts also noted that “discounts often widen during market downturns, causing share prices to underperform the underlying assets.”

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

Macquarie upgrades the stock’s rating to neutral from underperform and raises its target price to S$52.38 from S$48.56.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

Macquarie reiterates an underperform rating on the stock and trims its target by 3.7% to A$1.30/share, citing a lower cash balance.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

Your passion stays low, yet under no circumstance will you underperform.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama