underling
noun
un·der·ling
ˈən-dər-liŋ 
: one who is under the orders of another : subordinate, inferior
Examples of underling in a Sentence
He takes all the credit, but most of the hard work is done by his underlings.
the real estate tycoon has a whole army of underlings to attend to the details
Recent Examples on the Web
Gerald Ford became president, in part, because (former President) Richard Nixon had ordered the development of an enemies list and demanded his underlings use the IRS against those listed.
—
Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 10 Apr. 2024
As generally happens, Beltrán Leyva’s underlings split into several small clans.
—Alma Guillermoprieto, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
Although this leader could not be more confident about the brilliance underpinning this plan, some doubt exists regarding how quickly and fully underlings will understand and enthusiastically support it.
—Nate Bennett, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024
Find him, Derek commands a doomed underling, Garnett (David Witts).
—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2024
Now that's a loyal underling! 03 Hugh Laurie, House, M.D.
Nominations: 6
Seasons: 8
Hugh Laurie’s talented Dr. Gregory House was surly and smart, the antithesis to the Dr. McNiceys that typically make the rounds of TV medical dramas.
—Nancy Mattia, Peoplemag, 16 Jan. 2024
So when Elon Musk’s newest underling officially started on the job last Friday, The Times was eager to hear its take on the polarizing tech mogul.
—Brian Contreras, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2023
Bermudez is among several underlings allegedly employed by Miske in the murder and other criminal activities who have since flipped to testify against him in court.
—Christina Coulter, Fox News, 9 Jan. 2024
At the same time, LaPierre, 74, consolidated power and avoided scrutiny by hiring unqualified underlings who looked the other way, routing expenses through a vendor, doctoring invoices, and retaliating against board members and executives who questioned his spending, Connell said.
—Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2024
Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 10 Apr. 2024
As generally happens, Beltrán Leyva’s underlings split into several small clans.
—Alma Guillermoprieto, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
Although this leader could not be more confident about the brilliance underpinning this plan, some doubt exists regarding how quickly and fully underlings will understand and enthusiastically support it.
—Nate Bennett, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024
Find him, Derek commands a doomed underling, Garnett (David Witts).
—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2024
Now that's a loyal underling! 03 Hugh Laurie, House, M.D.
Nominations: 6
Seasons: 8
Hugh Laurie’s talented Dr. Gregory House was surly and smart, the antithesis to the Dr. McNiceys that typically make the rounds of TV medical dramas.
—Nancy Mattia, Peoplemag, 16 Jan. 2024
So when Elon Musk’s newest underling officially started on the job last Friday, The Times was eager to hear its take on the polarizing tech mogul.
—Brian Contreras, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2023
Bermudez is among several underlings allegedly employed by Miske in the murder and other criminal activities who have since flipped to testify against him in court.
—Christina Coulter, Fox News, 9 Jan. 2024
At the same time, LaPierre, 74, consolidated power and avoided scrutiny by hiring unqualified underlings who looked the other way, routing expenses through a vendor, doctoring invoices, and retaliating against board members and executives who questioned his spending, Connell said.
—Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'underling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near underling
Cite this Entry
“Underling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underling. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underling
noun
un·der·ling
ˈən-dər-liŋ
: one who is under the orders of another : subordinate
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share