as in subordinate
one who is of lower rank and typically under the authority of another
the real estate tycoon has a whole army of underlings to attend to the details
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of underling
The ensemble also includes Cal’s and widower Xavier’s kids; Xavier’s underlings; his boss (Krys Marshall), who was sleeping with Cal; and an influential member of Samantha’s entourage (Sarah Shahi) who, for unknown reasons, seems to believe Xavier is innocent.
—
Judy Berman, TIME, 24 Jan. 2025
Don't bet on Trump paying the underling's fine, and that $1,000 a day could add up to well over $1,000,000 before Trump leaves office.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
This is not an image of himself as Kier Eagan, but of Kier in blackface to appease a useful Black underling.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2025
His Cabinet nominees, Wiles told her underlings, according to two sources familiar with the call, were chosen to deliver on that promise.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underling
Judy Berman, TIME, 24 Jan. 2025
Don't bet on Trump paying the underling's fine, and that $1,000 a day could add up to well over $1,000,000 before Trump leaves office.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
This is not an image of himself as Kier Eagan, but of Kier in blackface to appease a useful Black underling.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2025
His Cabinet nominees, Wiles told her underlings, according to two sources familiar with the call, were chosen to deliver on that promise.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underling
Noun
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But even those modest gains quickly evaporated amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as Trump blamed China for the outbreak and allowed his subordinates wide latitude to pursue aggressive policies toward Beijing.—
Jude Blanchette,
Foreign Affairs,
27 Mar. 2025
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Waltz also indulged in several of the histrionic television appearances that Trump demands of his subordinates.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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His other performances included as Robert De Niro’s nasty henchman in Michael Mann’s Heat (1995); as Marlon Brando’s insane assistant in John Frankenheimer’s The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996) and as the suave crook Simon Templar in Phillip Noyce’s The Saint (1997).—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Apr. 2025
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The not-so-grand finale of Reacher’s third season opens with a gun battle that leaves an entire ATF Special Response Team dead, along with a commensurate number of henchmen that Quinn flew in from somewhere.—
Chris Klimek,
Vulture,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Small medieval villages are demolished in the wake of hell’s minions pouring forth from their dimension and into the next.—
Kazuma Hashimoto,
Rolling Stone,
31 Mar. 2025
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At just 17 years old, Amanda Seyfried booked her breakout role in Mean Girls as Regina George’s bimbo minion who could predict the weather with her boobs.—
airmail.news,
airmail.news,
15 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underling. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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