dark horse

NOUN

remote possibility

Synonyms

STRONGEST

also-ran long shot sleeper underdog

WEAK

hundred-to-one shot improbability little chance little opportunity outside chance outside shot poor bet poor lookout poor possibility poor prognosis poor prospect slim chance small chance stalking horse unexpected winner unknown unknown quantity unlikelihood unlikely winner upsetter

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Three-time losing finalist Medvedev is a dark horse after winning the lead-up Brisbane International, while American Learner Tien spearheads the new guard fresh from lifting the ATP Next Gen title.

From Barron's • Jan. 14, 2026

At the same time, Darnold has emerged as both a dark horse to be this season’s MVP and an incredible bargain: His $33.5 million a year contract is far cheaper than the game’s highest-paid passers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 13, 2025

Beyond that core group, there’s still room for a dark horse to emerge — a scenario that could work in Reed’s favor, given his steady camp performance.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 22, 2025

By some accounts, he was a dark horse in a conclave race which many predicted would deliver unto us a Pope Pizzaballa.

From Salon • May 10, 2025

He had become the convention's surprise dark horse.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

dark horse

Example Sentences

Related Words