underdog
noun
un·der·dog
ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg 
1
: a loser or predicted loser in a struggle or contest
2
: a victim of injustice or persecution
Examples of underdog in a Sentence
I always root for the underdog instead of the favorite.
As a lawyer, she consistently represented the underdog.
Recent Examples on the Web
Saint Mary’s has won three 15-man national championships over the past decade but still views itself as an underdog when compared to its Berkeley neighbor, which has won 24 national titles under legendary coach Jack Clark.
—
Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024
In an interview, Sheridan lamented the lack of productivity in the current Congress, attacked former President Donald Trump and pitched himself as an underdog.
—Lawrence Andrea, Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024
But the underdog story, produced by Jordan Peele, also shows a bunch of new sides to Patel, who knuckles up as a legit action star and a guy who can make a movie that’s totally cool, occasionally amusing and impressively thoughtful.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
Burns may be the star of North Carolina State, the only double-digit seed left in this year's men's NCAA basketball tournament, a top-heavy affair that has otherwise lacked in underdog stories.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 29 Mar. 2024
His endearing awkwardness made his portrayal of the underdog Stanley quite believable — someone audiences could truly root for.
—Debby Wolfinsohn, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2024
Ruettiger sacked Georgia Tech quarterback Rudy Allen and was carried off the field, bringing a fitting end to a true underdog story.
—Jason Hahn, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
The University of Washington’s underdog crew team defeats elite rowers to face Hitler’s German athletes in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
—Becky Meloan, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
But one thing is certain: the underdogs will be a tough out.
—Christopher Kuhagen, Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024
Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024
In an interview, Sheridan lamented the lack of productivity in the current Congress, attacked former President Donald Trump and pitched himself as an underdog.
—Lawrence Andrea, Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024
But the underdog story, produced by Jordan Peele, also shows a bunch of new sides to Patel, who knuckles up as a legit action star and a guy who can make a movie that’s totally cool, occasionally amusing and impressively thoughtful.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
Burns may be the star of North Carolina State, the only double-digit seed left in this year's men's NCAA basketball tournament, a top-heavy affair that has otherwise lacked in underdog stories.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 29 Mar. 2024
His endearing awkwardness made his portrayal of the underdog Stanley quite believable — someone audiences could truly root for.
—Debby Wolfinsohn, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2024
Ruettiger sacked Georgia Tech quarterback Rudy Allen and was carried off the field, bringing a fitting end to a true underdog story.
—Jason Hahn, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
The University of Washington’s underdog crew team defeats elite rowers to face Hitler’s German athletes in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
—Becky Meloan, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
But one thing is certain: the underdogs will be a tough out.
—Christopher Kuhagen, Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'underdog.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Underdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underdog. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underdog
noun
un·der·dog
ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg
: the loser or predicted loser in a struggle
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