1
as in stalking horse
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Recent Examples of dark horse
Here’s a rundown of the players to watch, potential dark horse teams and game previews for every region in the 2026 NCAA women’s basketball tournament.
—
Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
The last true dark horse winner was Jimmy Carter in 1976.
—Keith Naughton, The Washington Examiner, 14 Mar. 2026
The Senators look like the very definition of a dark horse team.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
The Zephyrs enter the tournament in their usual position – not as a favorite, but a dark horse.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dark horse
Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
The last true dark horse winner was Jimmy Carter in 1976.
—Keith Naughton, The Washington Examiner, 14 Mar. 2026
The Senators look like the very definition of a dark horse team.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
The Zephyrs enter the tournament in their usual position – not as a favorite, but a dark horse.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dark horse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dark horse
Noun
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After the buildings were put into bankruptcy last year, Summit offered to buy dozens of buildings in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Bronx and Queens in the form of a stalking horse bid, meaning the transaction is subject to potentially better offers at auction.—
Jonathan Randles,
Bloomberg,
6 Jan. 2026
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The stalking horse bid is subject to better offers should any materialize in the coming weeks.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Challenging the long-serving Graham, who has routinely batted back contenders over the years, is something of a political long shot.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
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According to oddsmakers, Thompson is a long shot to win the Vezina this year.—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Even if not, Greenfield faithful are expected to go and cheer their new favorite son.—
Michael Marot,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
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Now, more than half a year later, Larson sat in the modest theater of a quirky museum, Winsted favorite son Ralph Nader’s American Museum of Tort Law, as Bronin delivered a public version of the private message.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Marty Supreme actress had her glam done by makeup artist Gregory Arlt, who used an assortment of customer favorites from the brand — which the actress raved about to PEOPLE last fall, including the Ideal Fix concealer and Baked Marbelized blush.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
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In 2024, the WNBA saw its highest viewership and attendance ever, bringing in more than 54 million unique viewers and raising attendance by 48% over the previous season, thanks to fan favorites including Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark.—
Zoya Wazir,
NBC news,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The media outlet also reported that McDonald's plans to undercut competitors such as Starbucks and Dutch Bros on price, citing internal documents related to the launch.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
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OpenAI alleges that Musk, who runs rival xAI, is suing to slow down a competitor.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Epstein, the records show, tried to initiate a back-channel meeting between the Saudi crown prince and Qatar’s ex-prime minister.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
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Many in the former crown prince’s camp take a sharply antagonistic stance toward the rest of the opposition.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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While Survivor has plenty of surprising rules for contestants, socks are a small creature comfort that’s allowed.—
Brittany Anas,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Apr. 2026
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The nine contestants competing for a chance to win season 29 of The Voice include Team Legend's Willis, Millevoi and West; Team Adam's Alexia Jayy, Jared Shoemaker and Jeremy Keith; and Team Kelly's JW Griffin, Liv Ciara and Mikenley Brown.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Series that are still awaiting decisions include Tim Allen’s sophomore sitcom Shifting Gears, as well as two newer entries, Scrubs and RJ Decker.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
13 Apr. 2026
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Recent market volatility has created a compelling entry point for income investors to snap up investment-grade corporate bonds with attractive yields, according to Wells Fargo Investment Institute.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dark horse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dark%20horse. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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