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
Bobby Hull of the Blackhawks (1962) and Edmonton’s Fernando Pisani in 2006 also had six game-opening goals in a playoff year.
2011 — Shackleford wins the Preakness, holding off a late charge from Animal Kingdom to win as a 12-1 underdog.
—
Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
Week 2 in Baltimore and Week 4 in Detroit are games that might see the Browns enter as double-digit underdogs.
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 20 May 2025
Minnesota can now reclaim its preferred role of underdog.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 18 May 2025
Denver has been climbing an uphill battle all series long, entering it as a heavy underdog.
—Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for underdog
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Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
Week 2 in Baltimore and Week 4 in Detroit are games that might see the Browns enter as double-digit underdogs.
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 20 May 2025
Minnesota can now reclaim its preferred role of underdog.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 18 May 2025
Denver has been climbing an uphill battle all series long, entering it as a heavy underdog.
—Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 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 25 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underdog
noun
un·der·dog
ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg
: the loser or predicted loser in a struggle
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