UNDERACHIEVER Synonyms: 18 Similar and Opposite Words

underachiever

noun

Definition of underachiever

as in slacker

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of underachiever In July, Nike brought in a new chief executive officer for Converse, which has been somewhat of an underachiever in terms of its revenue contribution to the company over the years. — Jennie Bell, Footwear News, 30 Dec. 2025 But Flynn also oozes sniveling self-righteousness while hotly defending and petitioning for childhood innocence (amusing hints emerge that the daughter is a somewhat lazy and dim underachiever). — Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026 The path Willy has sketched for him, from golden-boy footballer to dynamic junior executive go-getter — well-liked and dripping with charm — couldn’t be further from Biff’s bitter self-assessment as a solitary underachiever. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019 The film stars Vince Vaughn as Peter LaFleur, a charismatic underachiever and proprietor of a rundown gym called Average Joe’s, and Ben Stiller as White Goodman, the power-mullet-sporting, Fu-Manchu-d, egomaniacal owner of Globo Gym, a gleaming monolith of fitness. — Caitlin White, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for underachiever

Recent Examples of Synonyms for underachiever

slacker

Noun

Inspired by the alien invasion genre and slacker hang out movies, the film is about a group of friends standing up against an alien invasion that threatens to swallow the whole world.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026
Her well-meaning slacker persona is perfect for this cavalcade of sometimes surreal adventures, which include classic sitcom tropes like get-rich-quick schemes and mistaken identities.

— Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026

Definition of slacker

Browse Nearby Words

under

underachiever

underachievers

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Underachiever.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underachiever. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of underachiever

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes