underdog
noun
un·der·dog
ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg 
1
: a loser or predicted loser in a struggle or contest
… the biggest obstacle has been the adjustment from underdog last season to contender …—
Mike Wise
Mike Wise2
: a victim of injustice or persecution
… portrayed himself as an honest underdog that the Government would do anything to stop.—Michael Specter
Michael SpecterExamples 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
On both occasions, his League One teams were massive underdogs, yet Colchester came within 11 minutes of earning a lucrative replay, and Bradford pulled off one of the greatest upsets in the competition’s long and storied history.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
The box office flop, which follows an 11-year-old underdog who forms unlikely bonds with extraterrestrials, was later shepherded by directors Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2026
Half of last year’s state-winning basketball teams are still standing, but there’s still time for underdogs and history-makers in the state tournament with 32 semifinal games scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
—Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Because of Jesse, the Democratic Party changed its rules, ending the winner-take-all distribution of delegates during presidential primaries, which meant underdogs and outsiders like Bill Clinton or Bernie Sanders could stay competitive and build momentum instead of getting knocked out early.
—CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
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Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
The box office flop, which follows an 11-year-old underdog who forms unlikely bonds with extraterrestrials, was later shepherded by directors Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2026
Half of last year’s state-winning basketball teams are still standing, but there’s still time for underdogs and history-makers in the state tournament with 32 semifinal games scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
—Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Because of Jesse, the Democratic Party changed its rules, ending the winner-take-all distribution of delegates during presidential primaries, which meant underdogs and outsiders like Bill Clinton or Bernie Sanders could stay competitive and build momentum instead of getting knocked out early.
—CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underdog
Cite this Entry
“Underdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underdog. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underdog
noun
un·der·dog
ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg
: the loser or predicted loser in a struggle
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