underperform

verb

un·​der·​per·​form ˌən-dər-pər-ˈfȯrm How to pronounce underperform (audio)
-pə-ˈfȯrm
underperformed; underperforming; underperforms

transitive verb

: to do worse than
… it believes the company will underperform other relatives covered by the firm …Jim Milliot

intransitive verb

: to fail to do as well as expected
The stocks underperformed.
underperformance noun
underperformer noun

Examples of underperform in a Sentence

The report shows which schools are underperforming.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
With this approach, strategy moves beyond publication and into refining headlines, improving internal linking, and updating underperforming pages to boost engagement. William Jones, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026 The Indian market has underperformed its Asian peers over the past year as global capital flows have favored AI plays in China and chipmakers in Korea and Taiwan. Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026 Despite this, Hartford students are still underperforming academically due to high poverty. Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026 During congressional testimony in January, neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath argued that Gen Z — the generation with the dubious distinction of being the first to have technology widely integrated into their education — is underperforming academically compared with their parents. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for underperform

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of underperform was in 1971

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Cite this Entry

“Underperform.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underperform. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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