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
Examples of underachiever in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But the actor also conveys the gnawing frustration of an underachiever still clutching onto his dream.
—
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
The supervisor’s son Klaus (Theo Dahl) is insecure about his across-the-board Bs, fretting that mediocre grades will steer him into the life of an underachiever.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2024
Maybe the 2023 Bengals were underachievers AND overachievers.
—Mike Bass Special To Cincinnati Enquirer Usa Today Network, The Enquirer, 13 Jan. 2024
Successful underachiever working for Vincent Plum Bail Bonds as a recovery agent, hunting down losers who've skipped out on their bond.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 Aug. 2023
Knight is 100 percent correct that the grapefruit is the underachiever of the citrus family.
—EW.com, 4 Mar. 2024
Will Dak Prescott – who threw a pick-six in the second quarter that Darnell Savage returned 64 yards – ever silence critics who label him as an underachiever in the playoffs?
—USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2024
That’s because the container shipping industry, cast as the Grinch that spoiled Christmas over the past two years with record-high freight rates and slow deliveries, is returning to its pre-pandemic place in the corporate world: perennial underachiever Charlie Brown.
—Brendan Murray, Fortune, 12 Nov. 2023
Chargers have long been considered the NFL’s version of the Clippers…wildly talented underachievers.
—Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2024
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
The supervisor’s son Klaus (Theo Dahl) is insecure about his across-the-board Bs, fretting that mediocre grades will steer him into the life of an underachiever.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2024
Maybe the 2023 Bengals were underachievers AND overachievers.
—Mike Bass Special To Cincinnati Enquirer Usa Today Network, The Enquirer, 13 Jan. 2024
Successful underachiever working for Vincent Plum Bail Bonds as a recovery agent, hunting down losers who've skipped out on their bond.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 Aug. 2023
Knight is 100 percent correct that the grapefruit is the underachiever of the citrus family.
—EW.com, 4 Mar. 2024
Will Dak Prescott – who threw a pick-six in the second quarter that Darnell Savage returned 64 yards – ever silence critics who label him as an underachiever in the playoffs?
—USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2024
That’s because the container shipping industry, cast as the Grinch that spoiled Christmas over the past two years with record-high freight rates and slow deliveries, is returning to its pre-pandemic place in the corporate world: perennial underachiever Charlie Brown.
—Brendan Murray, Fortune, 12 Nov. 2023
Chargers have long been considered the NFL’s version of the Clippers…wildly talented underachievers.
—Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'underachiever.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1952, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near underachiever
Cite this Entry
“Underachiever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underachiever. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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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
intransitive verb
-ˈchēv
underachieved; underachieving
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