underachiever

noun

un·​der·​achiev·​er ˌən-dər-ə-ˈchē-vər 

: one (such as a student) that fails to attain a predicted level of achievement or does not do as well as expected

underachieve

ˌən-dər-ə-ˈchēv 

intransitive verb

underachievement

ˌən-dər-ə-ˈchēv-mənt 

noun

Examples of underachiever in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But Flynn also oozes sniveling self-righteousness while hotly defending and petitioning for childhood innocence (amusing hints emerge that the daughter is a somewhat lazy and dim underachiever). —Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026

There’s no time to waste in turning around the fortunes of the Premier League’s biggest underachievers. —Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026

And he is viewed as an underachiever. —Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026

The difference in the case of Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys is that many of its students, grades 4 through 8, arrive at the school as underachievers but receive the type of support that prepares them to be college and career-ready. —Walter Fields, Baltimore Sun, 10 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for underachiever

• achiever
• believer
• deceiver
• perceiver
• receiver
• reliever
• retriever
• transceiver
• cleaver
• fever
• leaver
• weaver

Kids Definition

underachiever

noun

un·​der·​achiev·​er ˌən-də-rə-ˈchē-vər 

: one (as a student) that fails to do as well as expected

Medical Definition

underachiever

noun

un·​der·​achiev·​er ˌən-dər-ə-ˈchē-vər 

: a person (as a student) who fails to attain a predicted level of achievement or does not do as well as expected

underachieve

-ˈchēv

intransitive verb

underachieved; underachieving

underachievement

-mənt 

noun