dark horse
noun
1
a
: a usually little known contender (such as a racehorse) that makes an unexpectedly good showing
b
: an entrant in a contest that is judged unlikely to succeed
2
: a political candidate unexpectedly nominated usually as a compromise between factions
Examples of dark horse in a Sentence
The Democrat from Utah has gone from being a dark horse to the front-runner in the campaign for President.
The movie is a dark horse for the award.
He is a dark horse, but I did find out that he once played football professionally.
Recent Examples on the Web
Yamamoto began the season as a potential dark horse but has pitched his way to the top of the conversation.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
But among this more tolerant company, Aurangzeb is considered something of a dark horse – a religious zealot and complex character.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 18 Apr. 2025
Friday night was a reminder of why the Rockets present themselves as a dark horse ahead of the postseason.
—Kelly Iko, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
South of Midnight is an early dark horse contender for game of the year and easily earns our Editors' Choice award.
—PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dark horse
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Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
But among this more tolerant company, Aurangzeb is considered something of a dark horse – a religious zealot and complex character.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 18 Apr. 2025
Friday night was a reminder of why the Rockets present themselves as a dark horse ahead of the postseason.
—Kelly Iko, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
South of Midnight is an early dark horse contender for game of the year and easily earns our Editors' Choice award.
—PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dark horse
Cite this Entry
“Dark horse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dark%20horse. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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