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.
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
"This discovery highlights the understudied biodiversity of the upper Dadu River," the researchers wrote in their report, published in the open-access journal ZooKeys.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2025
He recently analysed just how understudied most other bacteria have been relative to E. coli.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2025
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
