underling

noun

un·​der·​ling ˈən-dər-liŋ How to pronounce underling (audio)
: one who is under the orders of another : subordinate, inferior

Examples of underling in a Sentence

He takes all the credit, but most of the hard work is done by his underlings. the real estate tycoon has a whole army of underlings to attend to the details
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.
The new emails are also intended to allow supervisors to get a better understanding of underlings’ work and help align different agencies. Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Feb. 2025 May Be the Way to Stop Trump and Musk | Opinion A court could order Trump or an underling to appear for a contempt of court hearing, but an underling is more likely to show up. Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025 While Elon Musk and his underlings demand budget cuts and layoffs across the federal government, funding for their agency — the Department of Government Efficiency — has soared to nearly $40 million, ProPublica found in a review of Office of Management and Budget records. Avi Asher-Schapiro, ProPublica, 20 Feb. 2025 The ensemble also includes Cal’s and widower Xavier’s kids; Xavier’s underlings; his boss (Krys Marshall), who was sleeping with Cal; and an influential member of Samantha’s entourage (Sarah Shahi) who, for unknown reasons, seems to believe Xavier is innocent. Judy Berman, TIME, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for underling

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of underling was in the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Underling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underling. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

underling

noun
un·​der·​ling ˈən-dər-liŋ How to pronounce underling (audio)
: one who is under the orders of another : subordinate
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!