as in subordinate
one who is of lower rank and typically under the authority of another
the real estate tycoon has a whole army of underlings to attend to the details
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of underling
Also, Jimmy discovers while covering for Kayla on the set of her Lassie remake that Kayla is still terrorizing her underlings; very curious to see if/when that’s going to blow up in everyone’s faces.
—
Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 16 May 2025
In the mornings, some managers might even dispatch an underling to scout a location for picnicking later on and proceed to give that person part of the day off.
—Kholood Eid, New York Times, 2 May 2025
The 18-month program was like a scene out of The Bear, with abusive head chefs berating their underlings.
—John Hyatt, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
Everyone, apart from underlings such as housekeeper Mary (Jackie Clune), are dressed immaculately enough to grace the cover of pre-war Vogue.
—Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underling
Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 16 May 2025
In the mornings, some managers might even dispatch an underling to scout a location for picnicking later on and proceed to give that person part of the day off.
—Kholood Eid, New York Times, 2 May 2025
The 18-month program was like a scene out of The Bear, with abusive head chefs berating their underlings.
—John Hyatt, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
Everyone, apart from underlings such as housekeeper Mary (Jackie Clune), are dressed immaculately enough to grace the cover of pre-war Vogue.
—Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underling
Noun
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Sheinbaum defended the banks' ties to Chinese clients as part of a legitimate trade relationship and warned the U.S. against treating Mexico as a subordinate.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 June 2025
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Bea and Patience carry the show, while the rest of the ensemble is just sort of there, not really adding much, aside from Bea’s obnoxious and bigoted subordinate (played by Nathan Welsh) who is dismissive and sneering about Patience, both to her face and behind her back.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2025
Noun
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Before her family arrives, Bree tries to shoot Grady, but once Grady’s henchman captures Diller, she’s forced to make a choice: drop the gun or watch her son die.—
Keith Langston,
People.com,
21 June 2025
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In a moment of sly genius, Duke gained entry by concealing himself as one of Lyle’s ghostly henchmen using a rubber band and a piece of white tissue as his disguise.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
18 June 2025
Noun
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Her niftiest fight sequence looks like abstract art: a stark black-and-white aerial pan of her shadow battling minions down a hallway.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2025
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Negan banished him and seized control of the Dama’s minions.—
Charlie Mason,
TVLine,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underling. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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