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Glite Dictionary
to underachieve

to underachieve

1 5.5
Do less well than expected or than they can
  • verb
  • /ˌʌndərəˈtʃiv/
translation icon : no alcanzar
  • Despite her talent, she continues to underachieve in her exams and disappoints her parents.
  • underachieve academically
  • students underachieve
  • underachieve in school

And I after, you know, being quite an underachiever, I was very good at underachieving.

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Examples

  • Point guard Ty Lawson, like the Nuggets as a whole, has underachieved this season.

    Blog text (13)

  • Many students underachieve in school due to a lack of motivation.

  • Theoretical models used to explain the differences among gifted students may lead some to underachieve.

    Academic text (1992)

  • The 17 academically talented students who began to underachieve did so in high school.

    Academic text (2004)

  • If parents aren't clear about the achievement messages they give their children, children may underachieve.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Children with ADHD are frequently reported to underachieve academically.

    Academic text (2006)

  • Approximately 82% of the parents believed there was a need for learning alternatives for those few students who underachieved in the program.

    Academic text (1992)

  • Much like Missouri, Tennessee has vastly underachieved this season.

    Blog text (6)

  • Busier adolescents who are involved in clubs, extracurricular activities, sports, and religious activities are less likely to underachieve in school.

    Academic text (2004)

  • But I also think their Nos. 1, 2, and 3 receivers have underachieved.

    Blog text (20)

Synonyms

to fall short
vsto underachieve
64 3.9

Fail to reach the level people expect

focuses on personal unrealized potential rather than measured amounts or standards
to fall short of
vsto underachieve
25 4.4

To not reach the level people expect

highlights underusing ability rather than only missing a set standard
to underperform
vsto underachieve
20 5.3

To do worse than expected or needed

emphasizes doing below one's own potential rather than just missing requirements
to punch below one's weight
vsto underachieve
  • Informal
8.1

To do less well than your skills or what people expect

describes general lower performance without focus on others' perception

Antonyms

to excel
58 3.7

To be much better than other people at an activity or subject

to overachieve
1 5.3

To do better than people expect and have more success

How Well

to excel
58 3.7
to succeed
846 2.0
to underachieve
1 5.5
to fail
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

underachieve infinitive
underachieved past
underachieved past participle
underachieving present participle
underachieves third person singular

Morphology

underachieve = achieve (transparent) = under + achieve

Productive prefix 'under-' meaning 'insufficiently' combines with the verb 'achieve' to yield the predictable meaning 'perform less well than expected'.

Etymology

Underachieve is made of under- meaning 'below' or 'not enough' and achieve meaning 'to reach or succeed', so it literally suggests 'reaching below' the expected level. That's why to underachieve is to do less well than you could or than others expect.