understudy

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verb

un·​der·​study ˈən-dər-ˌstə-dē 

ˌən-dər-ˈstə-

understudied; understudying; understudies

intransitive verb

: to study another actor's part in order to substitute in an emergency

transitive verb

: to prepare (a part or character) as understudy

also : to prepare as understudy to (an actor)

understudy

2 of 2

noun

un·​der·​study ˈən-dər-ˌstə-dē 

: one who is prepared to act another's part or take over another's duties

Examples of understudy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Consequently, Brett Veach aggressively targeted tackles in free agency (giving Trent Williams understudy Jaylon Moore a two-year, $30 million deal) and the 2025 NFL Draft (spending the first-round pick on Josh Simmons). —James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025

The report is the first to focus solely on the health of U.S.-born Asians, a group that experts say has been understudied because of its limited population. —Claire Wang, NBC news, 11 June 2025

Noun

Johnson, elevated to office by chaos forces—insanity and murder—seeks to finally be accepted not as the understudy but as the ramrod patrician who can set the nation righter than before. —Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 June 2025

This time, Ivy already has the Marilyn role and Karen is her (underwritten) understudy of long-standing. —Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1874, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1882, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for understudy

• bloody
• buddy
• cuddy
• muddy
• ruddy
• scudi
• study
• restudy

Kids Definition

understudy

verb

un·​der·​study

ˈən-dər-ˌstəd-ē,

ˌən-dər-ˈstəd-ē

: to study another actor's part in order to be his or her substitute in an emergency

understudy noun