underling

noun

un·​der·​ling ˈən-dər-liŋ How to pronounce underling (audio)
: one who is under the orders of another : subordinate, inferior

Examples of underling in a Sentence

He takes all the credit, but most of the hard work is done by his underlings. the real estate tycoon has a whole army of underlings to attend to the details
Recent Examples on the Web Find him, Derek commands a doomed underling, Garnett (David Witts). Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2024 Now that's a loyal underling! 03 Hugh Laurie, House, M.D. Nominations: 6 Seasons: 8 Hugh Laurie’s talented Dr. Gregory House was surly and smart, the antithesis to the Dr. McNiceys that typically make the rounds of TV medical dramas. Nancy Mattia, Peoplemag, 16 Jan. 2024 So when Elon Musk’s newest underling officially started on the job last Friday, The Times was eager to hear its take on the polarizing tech mogul. Brian Contreras, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2023 Bermudez is among several underlings allegedly employed by Miske in the murder and other criminal activities who have since flipped to testify against him in court. Christina Coulter, Fox News, 9 Jan. 2024 At the same time, LaPierre, 74, consolidated power and avoided scrutiny by hiring unqualified underlings who looked the other way, routing expenses through a vendor, doctoring invoices, and retaliating against board members and executives who questioned his spending, Connell said. Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2024 Most corporate CEOs step on other people’s sentences, butting in before their underlings have finished speaking, but not this guy. Peter Debruge, Variety, 18 Mar. 2023 Zaslav needed underlings who would help change the company. Clare Malone, The New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2023 Nicholas Hoult stars as a put-upon underling who falls in love with a New Orleans cop (Awkwafina) and decides to take a stand against his controlling employer. Keith Phipps, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'underling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of underling was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near underling

Cite this Entry

“Underling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underling. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

underling

noun
un·​der·​ling ˈən-dər-liŋ How to pronounce underling (audio)
: one who is under the orders of another : subordinate
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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