underling
noun
un·der·ling
ˈən-dər-liŋ 
: one who is under the orders of another : subordinate, inferior
Examples of underling in a Sentence
He takes all the credit, but most of the hard work is done by his underlings.
the real estate tycoon has a whole army of underlings to attend to the details
Recent Examples on the Web
When his underlings spew hate about the Golden State on Fox News and social media?
—
Gustavo Arellano, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2025
Recast versions of his Romulan underlings also appear on the bridge of his Bird of Prey.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 15 Aug. 2025
This difficult position might explain why Putin’s grip over even his own loyal underlings is slipping as more economic officials speak out with warnings over the dire state of the economy—a rarity in Putin’s command and control system.
—Time, 9 Aug. 2025
The role of Shell, ousted from his previous role running NBCUniversal after acknowledging an inappropriate relationship with an underling, has been controversial.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for underling
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Gustavo Arellano, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2025
Recast versions of his Romulan underlings also appear on the bridge of his Bird of Prey.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 15 Aug. 2025
This difficult position might explain why Putin’s grip over even his own loyal underlings is slipping as more economic officials speak out with warnings over the dire state of the economy—a rarity in Putin’s command and control system.
—Time, 9 Aug. 2025
The role of Shell, ousted from his previous role running NBCUniversal after acknowledging an inappropriate relationship with an underling, has been controversial.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for underling
Cite this Entry
“Underling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underling. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underling
noun
un·der·ling
ˈən-dər-liŋ
: one who is under the orders of another : subordinate
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