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
In his day job playing for Manchester City of the Premier League, Haaland almost never plays the role of underdog.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 11 May 2026
Kiffin had spent six years building a powerhouse football team at the underdog University of Mississippi and turning himself into a local hero.
—Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026
Buckley opened as a +150 underdog and was bet up to a -220 favorite, setting off alarms among bookmakers and the UFC itself.
—Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2026
Not because your home team has suddenly become a plucky underdog, even if the Braves (26-13) have a better record.
—Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for underdog
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Andrew Greif, NBC news, 11 May 2026
Kiffin had spent six years building a powerhouse football team at the underdog University of Mississippi and turning himself into a local hero.
—Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026
Buckley opened as a +150 underdog and was bet up to a -220 favorite, setting off alarms among bookmakers and the UFC itself.
—Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2026
Not because your home team has suddenly become a plucky underdog, even if the Braves (26-13) have a better record.
—Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 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 12 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underdog
noun
un·der·dog
ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg
: the loser or predicted loser in a struggle
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