dark horse

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.

Blyth also called Rieder a bit of a "dark horse" on whether his decisions would shift from Powell's.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

After more than a century of false starts, the dark horse of the renewable-energy industry seems finally poised to make a significant dent in America’s insatiable appetite for new sources of power.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 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 found the dark horse in the night and stood caressing the warm skin, thick bristly mane, feeding sugar, talking.

From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara