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Glite Dictionary
to underquote

to underquote

7.7
To offer a lower price than other companies to win work
  • verb
  • /ˌʌndərˈkwoʊt/
: subcotizar
  • The supplier managed to underquote all of its competitors in the bidding process.

Examples

  • When two companies compete, one may underquote the other to win the contract.

  • The agency underquoted their fees last month.

  • She was disappointed to learn her bid had been underquoted by another firm.

  • Don't underquote!

  • The supplier managed to underquote all of its competitors in the bidding process.

  • When two companies compete, one may underquote the other to win the contract.

  • She was disappointed to learn her bid had been underquoted by another firm.

Synonyms

to undercut
vsto underquote
9 4.4

Sell goods or services at a lower price than a competitor

offer a lower quoted price when giving a price estimate rather than ongoing sales
to lowball
vsto underquote
  • Informal
5 7.5

Give a much lower price or estimate on purpose to win the deal

offer a lower quoted price but not necessarily an unfairly low estimate
to underbid
vsto underquote
3 5.9

Offer to do work or sell something for a lower price than others to win a contract

offer a lower quoted price generally, not only to win contracts
to undersell
vsto underquote
3 4.7

Sell goods or services at a lower price than a competitor

offer a lower quoted price as a listed or proposed amount rather than focus on sales
to underprice
vsto underquote
1 5.2

Sell something for less than its normal market price

offer a lower quoted price compared with competitors rather than below market value

How Cheap

to undercut
9 4.4
to underquote
7.7
to quote
36 3.5

Surface Forms

underquote infinitive
underquoted past
underquoted past participle
underquoting present participle
underquotes third person singular

Morphology

underquote = quote (transparent) = under + quote

The meaning is directly derived from the productive prefix 'under-' (meaning 'lower/less') + the verb 'quote' to indicate giving a lower price.

Etymology

The word underquote comes from the two simple parts under and quote, where under means 'below' and quote means 'price'. So to underquote someone is to give a 'below' 'price', meaning you offer a lower price than competitors to win the contract.