Meaning of Underdog | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A competitor thought unlikely to win.
2. Somebody at a disadvantage.
3. A high swing wherein the person pushing the swing runs beneath the swing while the person being pushed is at the forward limit of the arc.

Equivalents

Examples

“They were the underdogs in the basketball competition.”

“In Athens, the Americans are underdogs to the Chinese and the Canadians (the Canadians!)”

“The visit of a Championship side would not normally send a shiver down their spine but they knew that Wigan were underdogs who would snap at their heels and that they possessed a potent bite if they were not kept on a firm leash.”

“Laszlo: Isn't it strange that you always happened to be fighting on the side of the underdog? Rick: Yes. I found that a very expensive hobby, too. But then I never was much of a businessman.”

CEFR level