Meanings
plural underperformers
- One who or that which underperforms, having performance that is below average or below expectations; often specifically a company or stock
"Any underperformer in this business is vulnerable as a takeover," Raiff said.
1986 June 24, Donna Stef Hansard, “Lord & Taylor Parent Firm Undecided About May Offer”, in Dallas News, archived from the original on 07 Mar 20161 more example
Notable among them was the 41½-mile Manchester Piccadilly-Sheffield Victoria passenger service via Woodhead Tunnel (closed on January 5 1970). A financial underperformer since 1,500V DC electrification 16 years earlier, it was a line noted for its spectacular scenery but also for generating little revenue from intermediate stations.
2020 April 8, Howard Johnston, “East-ended? When the ECML was a risk”, in Rail, page 69Synonyms: underachiever
Synonyms & antonyms
nounOne who or that which underperforms, having performance that is below average or below expectations; often specifically a company or stock
More synonyms by meaning
nouna student who does not perform as well as expected or as well as the IQ indicates
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Cite this entry
underperformer. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/underperformer
“underperformer.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/underperformer. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “underperformer,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/underperformer.
Source: underperformer on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.