understudy
verb (used with object)
to learn (a role) in order to replace the regular actor or actress when necessary.
understudied
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past participleof understudy.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof understudy.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
understudyverb (used with object)to learn (a role) in order to replace the regular actor or actress when necessary.
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.
During that production, he also understudied the musical director of the show, Carl Davis - who similarly became a prominent composer for film and television.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
She said it is too new and understudied.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 2026
But the particulars of Arthur Liu’s pathway—single father by choice via surrogacy—have been largely understudied and, despite those high-profile examples, receive little public attention.
From Slate ● Feb. 23, 2026
"The role of astrocytes in central nervous system healing is remarkably understudied," said David Underhill, PhD, chair of the Department of Biomedical Sciences.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 13, 2026
There was one pale curate who looked as though he might have understudied Penley in The Private Secretary.
From Forty Years of 'Spy' by Leslie Ward
