underdog

noun

un·​der·​dog ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg How to pronounce underdog (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Despite the company's industry recognition and long list of clients, Simmons still views Elanco as an underdog working to earn the trust of farmers, pet owners and veterinarians. Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 2 Oct. 2025 But the Cardinals' legend is confident that the underdog can come out on top. Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2025 The underdog Reds, winners of 83 games — 10 fewer than the Dodgers and four fewer than any other team in the playoffs — had their top starter, Hunter Greene, going in Game 1. Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025 That seems like quite a serious undertaking for a half-hour comedy about a disgraced former college football player who sets off to redeem himself by catfishing his way into becoming the quarterback for an underdog team in south Georgia. Katie Campione, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for underdog

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of underdog was in 1859

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Underdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underdog. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

underdog

noun
un·​der·​dog ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg How to pronounce underdog (audio)
: the loser or predicted loser in a struggle

More from Merriam-Webster on underdog

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!