Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
Definitions

underdog

[uhn-der-dawg, -dog] / ˈʌn dərˌdɔg, -ˌdɒg /
NOUN
unlikely winner in a contest or struggle
Synonyms
Antonyms


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.

“He fought for the underdog, because he was the underdog.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026

After decades spent in thrall to Wall Street hedge funders and luxury-housing speculators, what other dreams can a city rich in underdog momentum make real?

From Salon • Jun. 17, 2026

In the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, for example, Argentina lost to big underdog Saudi Arabia in the group stage — but it still went on to win the World Cup for the third time.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026

During his 12-year tenure as Deutsche Telekom’s chief executive, Höttges has helped turn T-Mobile from a money-losing underdog to the world’s most valuable telecom brand by market capitalization.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

At least he’d been an appealing underdog then.

From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer




Vocabulary lists containing underdog


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "underdog" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com