underperform

verb

un·​der·​per·​form ˌən-dər-pər-ˈfȯrm How to pronounce underperform (audio)
-pə-ˈfȯrm
underperformed; underperforming; underperforms

transitive verb

: to do worse than

intransitive verb

: to fail to do as well as expected
underperformance noun
underperformer noun

Examples of underperform in a Sentence

The report shows which schools are underperforming.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Unlike the India of the Cold War, which remained robustly liberal even when underperforming economically, India today, despite being more economically successful, has been markedly tainted by illiberalism and authoritarianism. Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025 The Padres were a playoff team last year, but their lineup has underperformed, even with Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. having productive seasons. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 17 June 2025 But, with the release of the Galaxy S25 Edge, Samsung is rewriting its rulebook to shift more units of a phone that is reportedly underperforming sales expectations. Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025 Zuckerberg pledged last year that his company’s models would outstrip rivals’ efforts in 2025, but Meta’s most recent release, Llama 4, has underperformed on various independent reasoning and coding benchmarks. Ars Staff, ArsTechnica, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for underperform

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of underperform was in 1971

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Cite this Entry

“Underperform.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underperform. Accessed 22 Jun. 2025.

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