underrate
verb
un·der·rate
ˌən-dər-ˈrāt 
ˌən-də-
underrated; underrating; underrates
: to rate or value (something or someone) too low : undervalue
His off-the-cuff improvisations, his airy tendency to throw out half-baked ideas, caused others to underrate his continuity of purpose …—
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.As I watched the film for the first time …, it seemed to me that its effect was to exploit innocence and violence in ways that overrate the power of the first and underrate the complexity of the second …—Vincent Canby
see also underrated
Vincent CanbyExamples of underrate in a Sentence
She underrated her student's ability.
it's perhaps the most underrated film of the last decade
Recent Examples on the Web
The Patriots defense has been criminally underrated all season and Chaisson has been very effective in his role, but isn’t getting talked about enough.
—Boston Herald Staff, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2026
While underrated, the Fox comedy remains the prototype for shows such as Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Insecure and more that followed.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
More interesting is how Rocky feels he’s been underrated as a progenitor of modern rap style.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 19 Jan. 2026
Institutions and citizens of such an order should neither overrate the risk nor underrate their own strength and potential to prevail.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
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Boston Herald Staff, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2026
While underrated, the Fox comedy remains the prototype for shows such as Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Insecure and more that followed.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
More interesting is how Rocky feels he’s been underrated as a progenitor of modern rap style.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 19 Jan. 2026
Institutions and citizens of such an order should neither overrate the risk nor underrate their own strength and potential to prevail.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underrate
Cite this Entry
“Underrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underrate. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underrate
verb
un·der·rate
ˌən-də(r)-ˈrāt
: to rate too low : undervalue
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