underdog

From under- + dog.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈʌndəˌdɒɡ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈʌndɚˌdɔɡ/, /ˈʌndɚˌdɑɡ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

underdog (plural underdogs)

1. A competitor thought unlikely to win.

   Synonyms: little guy, rank outsider

   They were the underdogs in the basketball competition.

   • 2004 August 30, The New Yorker, page 40:

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

   • 2014 March 9, Jacob Steinberg, “Wigan shock Manchester City in FA Cup again to reach semi-finals”, in The Guardian:

     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.

2. Somebody at a disadvantage.

   Synonym: bottom dog

   • 1942, Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, Howard Koch, Casablanca:

     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.

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.

• favourite, favorite
• sure bet
• safe bet
• top dog
• shoo-in

• also-ran
• dark horse

• grounded, undergod

Unadapted borrowing from English underdog.

• IPA^(key): /ˈʏndər.dɔk/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: un‧der‧dog

underdog m (plural underdogs, diminutive underdogje n)

1. underdog (competitor or someone at a disadvantage)

Borrowed from English underdog.

underdog m (invariable)

1. underdog
   • 2023 June 28, Session of Parliament, spoken by Giuseppe Conte:

     Oggi bisogna dire alla Presidente Meloni che la favola dell'underdog, della svantaggiata, che ha astutamente lei elaborato non funziona più. Gli italiani pretendono risultati e non si accontentano più della favola di chi si è auto-rappresentato come la novità della politica....

     Today we must tell President Meloni that the story of her being an underdog, of being disadvantaged, that she cleverly devised no longer works. The Italian people demand results and they will no longer settle with the story of a self-proclaimed novelty of politics....

Borrowed from English underdog.

underdog c

1. underdog

• “underdog”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• “underdog”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “underdog”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)