DARK HORSE Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

dark horse

noun

Definition of dark horse

as in stalking horse

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

as in long shot

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

sure thing

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of dark horse Bo Nix is also back healthy for a Broncos team that looks improved on paper, and Joe Burrow has returned to lead Cincinnati, a popular dark horse pick in the AFC. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 6 Sep. 2026 Canales’ acknowledgement of Reed’s ability to play all three wide receiver positions is probably the best endorsement a dark horse can receive during the first week of camp. — Mike Kaye august 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Aug. 2026 Daniel Jones is also noted as a dark horse for this significant award. — Darren Cooper, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 Speedy Ethan Bonner, the third-year player, is a dark horse starting candidate. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for dark horse

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dark horse

Noun

The filing also mentions a stalking horse bidder that may be connected to camp families and alumnae, though the identity and purchase price were not yet disclosed.

— Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
The Dania Beach headquarters campus that once served as the nerve center of now-defunct Spirit Airlines has been sold to a Boston hedge fund that served as the stalking horse bidder in a bankruptcy court auction.

— David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of stalking horse

Noun

Even if success is a long shot, human experimentation poses significant ethical questions over risks and benefits.

— Mike McRae October 21, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026
By his own account, most of the industry considers LMR a long shot, and GM made the call with perhaps 60% to 70% of the data.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of long shot

Noun

Steve Spurrier was coming home; the favorite son, the Heisman Trophy winner, the coach who was about to change Florida football forever.

— Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026
This is Southport's favorite son, and one of golf's most beloved figures because of his grace handling more tough losses than wins.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026

Definition of favorite son

Noun

The books have officially listed the 49ers as the team to beat for the Super Bowl, moving them to favorites.

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
The team that opened the season as the overwhelming favorite to win Super Bowl LXI continued to look like a cheap imitation.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of favorite

Noun

When attorneys transact a merger between two retail giants like Albertsons and Kroger, a standard strategy to address anticompetitive concerns is to spin off a new competitor.

— Shubha Ghosh, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
The challenge is to broaden a brand’s appeal without diluting the characteristics that distinguish it from competitors.

— Yiling Pan, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of competitor

Noun

Across its 35-season tenure, Dancing With the Stars has only had one All-Star season full of returning contestants.

— McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
This year, correspondent Luke Burbank attended the 65th annual competition, in which contestants were of a particularly slimy variety.

— David Morgan, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of contestant

Noun

Overhead in the soaring stone entry hall, a circa 1960s Italian bronze spiral chandelier adds a final sculptural flourish.

— David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2026
People are advised to watch for signs of rodent activity including droppings, gnaw marks, scratching or scurrying sounds and rub marks along baseboards or around entry points.

— Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado Updated October 21, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of entry

Browse Nearby Words

darkens

dark horse

dark horses

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Style

“Dark horse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dark%20horse. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of dark horse

noun

Example Sentences

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