underling

noun

un·der·ling ˈən-dər-liŋ

Synonyms of underling

: 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

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.

If Pangram’s tools are accurate, 260 out of 310 people who published guest articles in the NYT, WSJ, and Washington Post did it entirely with their own brains (or perhaps the brains of an underling). — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026 Scarface doesn’t just bark orders at his underlings but browbeats the whimpering Ventriloquist, giving him that warped double personality that made older characters like Two-Face so alluring. — Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026 Rumors of relationships between executives and underlings went around on campus. — Claire Stapleton, New Yorker, 18 July 2026 France’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival gets underway this weekend with Illumination’s Minions & Monsters, the latest movie devoted to the mischievous army of yellow underlings first introduced in 2010 breakout Despicable Me. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for underling

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

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

underlinen

underling

underlip

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Underling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underling. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

underling

noun

un·der·ling ˈən-dər-liŋ

: one who is under the orders of another : subordinate

underling

noun

Synonyms of underling

Examples of underling in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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