understudy
Americanverb (used with object)
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to learn (a role) in order to replace the regular actor or actress when necessary.
-
to act as understudy to (an actor or actress).
to understudy the lead.
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
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(tr) to study (a role or part) so as to be able to replace the usual actor or actress if necessary
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to act as understudy to (an actor or actress)
noun
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an actor or actress who studies a part so as to be able to replace the usual actor or actress if necessary
-
anyone who is trained to take the place of another in case of need
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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understudysimple
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understudiessimple
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have understudiedperfect
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has understudiedperfect
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am understudyingprogressive
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are understudyingprogressive
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is understudyingprogressive
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have been understudyingperfect progressive
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has been understudyingperfect progressive
Past
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understudiedsimple
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had understudiedperfect
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was understudyingprogressive
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were understudyingprogressive
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had been understudyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of understudy
Explanation
In the theater, an understudy is a backup or alternate for another actor in the play. If the lead in the school play comes down with the flu, her understudy will have a chance to perform the starring role. The show must go on (as they say in show business)—which is why an understudy has an important job. He or she has to learn every line and be ready to fill at the last minute. You can also use this word as a verb, so you might say, "I'm going to understudy the role of Aaron Burr in Hamilton!" An understudy often plays a smaller role in the play as well, filling in for main roles as needed.
Vocabulary lists containing understudy
Theater - Introductory
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Theater - Middle School
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Theater - High School
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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.
See Examples For:
Burley, who also composed the theme song for the series, said he first spotted Swansea-born Jones on the musical 42nd Street as a second understudy.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
Reece James is the England number one but Livramento is a very good understudy.
From BBC ● Mar. 27, 2026
Simply going to the Games as an understudy to Chen’s leading role would have been valuable experience.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 14, 2026
He snatched provisional top spot in beautiful, sunny conditions, but could only watch with bated breath as his understudy took to the start hut.
From Barron's ● Feb. 7, 2026
New to the company, a lowly understudy to an understudy.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
Viewers watch as Jeanine intellectualizes each character’s motivations and inner thoughts, dictating them to the performers onstage and their understudies.
From Salon ● Mar. 12, 2025
His understudies, Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman, are arguably better than any other goalie in the tournament.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2025
Harry Kane is obviously England's first-choice striker but a back injury sharpens the focus on his understudies.
From BBC ● May 20, 2024
“I think it’s a testament to those two people,” says Aubrey Matalon, who understudies both “Ride” roles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2024
To this essential personnel of the church choir there may be added others, supplements or understudies for this or that musical part, young men with large cameo pins in their cravats, young women with spectacles.
From The Broken Gate A Novel by Hough, Emerson
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
He had understudied Mr. Kojac for the preceding two years, and felt there was no one else in the world for whom he could have as much respect.
From New Hire by Dryfoos, David M.
And the next day, I got cast understudying Faith Prince and Kate Nelligan in “Bad Habits,” a play at the Manhattan Theatre Club.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2025
A staple of the D.C. area’s stages since 2015, the 28-year-old actor already knew the part after understudying it for a 2020 production at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 15, 2023
Now graduated, Shavit-Lonstein works two day jobs while “swinging” — understudying multiple roles — in “Winnie the Pooh” at StoryBook Theater in Kirkland.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 6, 2022
It was there where Poitier was given the role of understudying Belafonte in "Days of our Youth."
From Fox News ● Jan. 8, 2022
She's over on the News now, understudying the fashion editor before taking charge, and we lunch together nearly every day.
From Mrs. Balfame A Novel by Atherton, Gertrude Franklin Horn
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
