underperform
verb
un·der·per·form
ˌən-dər-pər-ˈfȯrm 
-pə-ˈfȯrm
underperformed; underperforming; underperforms
: to do worse than
… it believes the company will underperform other relatives covered by the firm …—
Jim Milliot
Jim Milliot
: to fail to do as well as expected
The stocks underperformed.
underperformer
noun
Examples of underperform in a Sentence
The report shows which schools are underperforming.
Recent Examples on the Web
But not everyone is sold that getting rid of underperforming brands will benefit shareholders.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2026
The negative side of the ledger has entries that range beyond her promotion of politicians who’ve underperformed.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Thus, taxpayers are often stuck financing underperforming government programs riddled with waste and outright fraud, as was the case in the recent $30 billion scandal that afflicted the state’s unemployment insurance program.
—Lanhee J. Chen, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
Nobel Prize winners often underperform relative to their peers early in their careers, publishing less and securing tenure later.
—Rachel Barr, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underperform
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Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2026
The negative side of the ledger has entries that range beyond her promotion of politicians who’ve underperformed.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Thus, taxpayers are often stuck financing underperforming government programs riddled with waste and outright fraud, as was the case in the recent $30 billion scandal that afflicted the state’s unemployment insurance program.
—Lanhee J. Chen, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
Nobel Prize winners often underperform relative to their peers early in their careers, publishing less and securing tenure later.
—Rachel Barr, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underperform
Cite this Entry
“Underperform.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underperform. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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