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
From underdogs like former NFL running back Emmitt Smith to polished frontrunners like TikTok star Charli D'Amelio, here's EW's favorite DWTS champions, ranked.
—
Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 1 June 2025
But in a matchup in which the road underdog (Indy in Games 1 and 2 and New York in Game 3) won the first three games of the series, with Games 1 and 3 both featuring 20-point comebacks, of course Game 5 was a curveball.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
West Virginia, a touchdown underdog, jumped out to a 14-0 lead and was set up in great field position after forcing a turnover deep in Georgia territory.
—Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Despite their underdog mindset, the Indiana Pacers have thrived in clutch moments this postseason, performing like true champions when the stakes are highest.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025
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Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 1 June 2025
But in a matchup in which the road underdog (Indy in Games 1 and 2 and New York in Game 3) won the first three games of the series, with Games 1 and 3 both featuring 20-point comebacks, of course Game 5 was a curveball.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
West Virginia, a touchdown underdog, jumped out to a 14-0 lead and was set up in great field position after forcing a turnover deep in Georgia territory.
—Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Despite their underdog mindset, the Indiana Pacers have thrived in clutch moments this postseason, performing like true champions when the stakes are highest.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 27 May 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 6 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underdog
noun
un·der·dog
ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg
: the loser or predicted loser in a struggle
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