underdog
Definition
A competitor, contestant, or participant in a contest who is expected to lose, often due to being at a disadvantage.
Someone or something positioned as inferior or less likely to succeed against stronger opposition.
A person fighting against great odds or a more powerful adversary, often evoking sympathy or support.
Examples
The plucky underdog startup outmaneuvered the tech giants by launching an app that turns your fridge leftovers into gourmet feasts.
In the baking showdown, the underdog grandma with her secret cookie recipe crushed the celebrity chef's molecular gastronomy nonsense.
Everyone rooted for the underdog candidate who promised free pizza Fridays, turning a long-shot bid into a viral sensation.
The underdog squirrel hoarded all the park's nuts, leaving the squirrels with fancy bird feeders to forage in defeat.