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
The Cardinals entered last season as a potential NFL dark horse, but fell short of the playoffs, finishing 8-9.
—
Doug Haller, New York Times, 20 May 2025
With her momentum, Irene is already laying a path to deliver what a gay prophecy once foretold: a Porkchop queen who dark horses her way to win All Stars.
—Chris Feil, Vulture, 9 May 2025
Cardinal Robert Prevost was born in Chicago and has missionary experience in Peru, previously serving as the bishop of the city of Chiclayo — but many experts considered the 69-year-old cardinal as a dark horse in the race to become the next pontiff.
—Wendy Grossman Kantor, People.com, 8 May 2025
The Vikings also lurk as a dark horse candidate in the sweepstakes for Rodgers, 41.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dark horse
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Doug Haller, New York Times, 20 May 2025
With her momentum, Irene is already laying a path to deliver what a gay prophecy once foretold: a Porkchop queen who dark horses her way to win All Stars.
—Chris Feil, Vulture, 9 May 2025
Cardinal Robert Prevost was born in Chicago and has missionary experience in Peru, previously serving as the bishop of the city of Chiclayo — but many experts considered the 69-year-old cardinal as a dark horse in the race to become the next pontiff.
—Wendy Grossman Kantor, People.com, 8 May 2025
The Vikings also lurk as a dark horse candidate in the sweepstakes for Rodgers, 41.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 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 8 Jun. 2025.
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