underperform

verb

un·​der·​per·​form ˌən-dər-pər-ˈfȯrm 

-pə-ˈfȯrm

underperformed; underperforming; underperforms

transitive verb

: to do worse than

… it believes the company will underperform other relatives covered by the firm …

—Jim Milliot

intransitive verb

: to fail to do as well as expected

The stocks underperformed.

underperformance

ˌən-dər-pər-ˈfȯr-mən(t)s 

-pə-ˈfȯr-

noun

underperformer noun

Examples of underperform in a Sentence

The report shows which schools are underperforming.

Recent Examples on the Web

Thousands of kids from neighborhoods zoned to chronically underperforming district schools sit on charter school wait lists. —Darius Jones, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026

Early experiments showed that high-resistivity wafers often underperform compared to standard wafers. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026

After Michael Mann’s underperforming 1986 film Manhunter adapted Harris’ earlier Hannibal novel Red Dragon, Orion Pictures landed Gene Hackman to direct and star in The Silence of the Lambs. —Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026

Cut programs that are underperforming or duplicative 4. —Charlotte Observer, 14 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for underperform

• cuneiform
• iodoform
• nonuniform
• brainstorm
• conform
• deform
• firestorm
• hailstorm
• inform
• landform
• lukewarm
• perform