underdog

/ˈʌndədɒɡ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈʌndərdɔːɡ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈən-dər-ˌdȯg/ (ame, mw)

underdog — noun

  • underdogsingular
  • underdogsplural

1. The competitor, whether an individual or a team, that is expected to lose becaus

1.名詞B2
釋義

The competitor, whether an individual or a team, that is expected to lose because of their perceived weakness or lower ranking.

例句

Everyone was surprised when the underdog team won the championship.

underdog team (attributive noun)

Marco placed a bet on the underdog to make the match more exciting.

bet on the underdog (collocation)

同義詞
  • outsider

    common in British sports journalism; less emotional tone

  • long shot

    from betting; focuses on low probability rather than personal sympathy

  • dark horse

    different — emphasizes being unknown rather than expected to lose

反義詞
  • favorite

    the competitor expected to win

  • frontrunner

    the leading competitor in a race or contest

  • champion

    the current title holder, not just expected to win

文法句型

the underdog

an underdog

underdog + noun (e.g. underdog team)

用法筆記

Very common in sports journalism and competition narratives. The opposite of the underdog is the 'favorite' — the competitor expected to win.

常見錯誤

❌That horse is an underdog because nobody knows anything about it.
✅That horse is a dark horse because nobody knows anything about it.
💡'underdog' means expected to lose; 'dark horse' means unknown with a chance to surprise.

2. Any individual or community that has fewer advantages, resources, or influence c

2.名詞B2
釋義

Any individual or community that has fewer advantages, resources, or influence compared to most other members of society.

例句

Nikhil grew up in a poor neighborhood and felt like an underdog in the world of finance.

underdog + in [domain/field]

The charity was founded to help underdog communities gain access to education.

同義詞
  • disadvantaged person

    more literal and direct, less idiomatic

  • have-not

    informal; focuses specifically on lack of material wealth

  • outsider

    emphasizes exclusion from a group rather than lack of power

反義詞

文法句型

the underdog

an underdog

underdogs

用法筆記

Often used in the plural (underdogs) when referring to disadvantaged groups or communities. This sense is common in discussions about social inequality, poverty, and systemic disadvantage.

常見錯誤

❌He is an underdog because he lost the match.
✅He is an underdog because he was expected to lose the match.
💡'underdog' describes the expectation before the outcome, not the fact of having lost.