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
Given the familiar tropes of underdog sports movies, My Sunshine takes a turn that sends the narrative in an unexpected, but satisfying, direction.
—
Scott Phillips, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Asi’s friend group in Auckland is made up of a Manchester City fan who followed his dad’s path, a West Ham fan whose favourite player was Mark Noble, and a Brighton & Hove Albion fan who wanted to root for an underdog.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 31 July 2025
The season included a victory over South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl, a game in which the Illini were considered heavy underdogs.
—Sam Brief, Chicago Tribune, 31 July 2025
On the pitch, Spain – the underdog but eventual champion that day – is now regarded by most as the best team in the world.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 27 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for underdog
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Scott Phillips, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Asi’s friend group in Auckland is made up of a Manchester City fan who followed his dad’s path, a West Ham fan whose favourite player was Mark Noble, and a Brighton & Hove Albion fan who wanted to root for an underdog.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 31 July 2025
The season included a victory over South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl, a game in which the Illini were considered heavy underdogs.
—Sam Brief, Chicago Tribune, 31 July 2025
On the pitch, Spain – the underdog but eventual champion that day – is now regarded by most as the best team in the world.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 27 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for underdog
Cite this Entry
“Underdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underdog. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underdog
noun
un·der·dog
ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg
: the loser or predicted loser in a struggle
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share