# underdog

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈʌndəˌdɒɡ/ · frequency rank #18,982

## 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.

## Etymology
From under- + dog.

## Easily confused with
- **undergo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/underdog-vs-undergo)

## Common misspellings (12)
`nuderdog`, `udnerdog`, `undderdog`, `undedrog`, `underddog`, `underdgo`, `underdogg`, `underodg`, `underrdog`, `undredog`, `unedrdog`, `unnderdog`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/underdog