underdogs

IPA/ˈʌn.də.dɒɡ/
KK[ˈʌndɚdˌɔɡz]IPA/ˈʌn.dɚ.dɑːɡ/

underdogs — noun

  • underdogssingular
  • underdogsesplural

1. someone who has far less power, wealth, or social standing than most people in a

1.名詞B2
釋義

someone who has far less power, wealth, or social standing than most people in a community and therefore faces greater difficulty in getting equal treatment or chances in life

例句

The non-profit organization works to protect the legal rights of society's underdogs.

collocation: society's underdogs

Nora's campaign focused on affordable housing for the underdogs of the city.

同義詞
  • the disadvantaged

    more formal and broader, focusing on economic and social obstacles rather than power dynamics

  • the powerless

    emphasizes a lack of control over one's circumstances rather than material poverty

反義詞
  • the privileged

    refers to people who enjoy advantages in power, wealth, or status

  • the powerful

    focuses on having influence or authority rather than material wealth

文法句型

the underdog(s)

society's underdogs

用法筆記

Common in discussions of social justice, inequality, and public policy. The plural form underdogs is more frequently used than the singular when referring to a category of people in society.

常見錯誤

❌The charity helps underdog people in the city.
✅The charity helps underdogs in the city.
💡underdog is a noun, not an adjective; do not attach it to another noun like people.
❌She is an underdog of the society.
✅She is one of society's underdogs.
💡The natural pattern is society's underdogs, not underdog of the society.

2. a competitor — whether an individual or a team — that nearly everyone expects to

2.名詞B1
釋義

a competitor — whether an individual or a team — that nearly everyone expects to be defeated because they are thought to be weaker, less skilled, or at a clear disadvantage compared to their rival

例句

Everyone was surprised when the underdog beat the defending champions 3–1.

underdog beats / defeats a stronger opponent

Hannah always cheers for the underdog in every tennis tournament she watches.

collocation: cheer / root for the underdog

同義詞
  • long shot

    more informal; emphasizes low odds of success rather than a power imbalance

  • outsider

    chiefly British English, used in racing and competitions to mean a contestant with very little chance of winning

反義詞
  • favorite

    the contestant expected to win; the opposite of the underdog in a competition

  • front-runner

    the leading contestant in a race or competition

文法句型

the underdog

be the underdog

root for the underdog

用法筆記

Extremely common in sports journalism and commentary. Frequently used with the definite article (the underdog) rather than the indefinite. The phrase root for the underdog has become a fixed expression beyond sports, used in business, politics, and entertainment.

常見錯誤

❌The underdog team played well but still lost.
✅The underdogs played well but still lost.
💡underdog already implies a person or team; using it as an adjective before team is non-standard in most contexts.
❌That horse is an underdog to win the race.
✅That horse is the underdog in the race.
💡Use in the race/competition, not an underdog to win.