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

See Examples For:

underperform

But one feature of so-called momentum investing is the risk of occasional, sharp downturns, when suddenly the winning high-momentum stocks underperform the market.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

RBC keeps an underperform rating and a target price of A$143 on Rio Tinto’s shares, which are up 1.2% at A$165.55.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Improving investor sentiment around Tesla stemming from the merger speculation might be overly optimistic, they say, maintaining their underperform rating and $280 price target.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

If employers are lax in their oversight, workers might find themselves overpaying to invest in funds that underperform.

From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026

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

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama