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

But overall, as this year’s lineup conveys, AFI Fest’s red carpet premieres section positions it as a festival for the underdogs. —Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 29 Oct. 2025

Sister Jean became a national star in 2018 when then-underdogs Loyola pulled off multiple upsets to reach the Final Four. —Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025

What began as an underdog quietly morphed into a 2025 Song of the Year contender, digging its way into the Hot 100’s Top 10 nearly a year after its debut. —Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 29 Oct. 2025

Watertown is the underdog, but a master of strategy and preparation. —Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 29 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for underdog

• analog
• analogue
• catalogue
• decalogue
• demagogue
• dialogue
• epilogue
• homologue
• monologue
• pedagogue
• synagogue
• tagalog

Kids Definition

underdog

noun

un·​der·​dog ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg 

: the loser or predicted loser in a struggle