underdog

noun

The person or team that people expect to lose a contest.

Example sentence

“The underdog surprised everyone by winning the championship.”

Usually sympathetic: crowds and voters 'root for the underdog'. The expected winner is the favorite.

Related words

baseballThe ball that players hit, throw, and catch in the game of baseball.rematchA second game or contest between the same two opponents.volleyballA sport in which two teams of two to six players hit a ball back and forth across a net on a rectangular court.stretchTo make something longer by pulling on it.handballA team game in which two sides of seven players each throw and bounce a ball, trying to get it into the other team's goal.exercisePhysical activity done to keep the body, and sometimes the mind, strong and healthy.