underdog
noun
un·der·dog
ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg 
1
: a loser or predicted loser in a struggle or contest
2
: a victim of injustice or persecution
Examples of underdog in a Sentence
I always root for the underdog instead of the favorite.
As a lawyer, she consistently represented the underdog.
Recent Examples on the Web
The underdog tag is something this team neither shirk nor embrace.
—
Megan Feringa, New York Times, 27 June 2025
Shaevitz’s Toot went from underdog to semi-finalist, nearly making it to the end to snatch the $200,000 grand prize.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 26 June 2025
He was tasked with guiding the underdog side through what many expected to be a difficult tournament.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 21 June 2025
And Darth Vader is just the right foil for these underdogs.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for underdog
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Megan Feringa, New York Times, 27 June 2025
Shaevitz’s Toot went from underdog to semi-finalist, nearly making it to the end to snatch the $200,000 grand prize.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 26 June 2025
He was tasked with guiding the underdog side through what many expected to be a difficult tournament.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 21 June 2025
And Darth Vader is just the right foil for these underdogs.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for underdog
Cite this Entry
“Underdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underdog. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underdog
noun
un·der·dog
ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg
: the loser or predicted loser in a struggle
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