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Underachieve: meaning, definitions and examples

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underachieve

 

[ ˌʌndərəˈtʃiv ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

academic performance

To underachieve means to perform below one's potential or expectations, particularly in academic or professional settings. This can refer to students who are capable of achieving higher grades but do not due to lack of effort or motivation.

Synonyms

disappoint, fail, fall short

Examples of usage

  • She tends to underachieve in math despite her intelligence.
  • Many students underachieve when they are not adequately supported.
  • He is underachieving this semester after a series of personal issues.

Translations

Translations of the word "underachieve" in other languages:

🇵🇹 não atingir

🇮🇳 कम प्रदर्शन करना

🇩🇪 unterperformen

🇮🇩 tidak mencapai

🇺🇦 недостатньо досягати

🇵🇱 nie osiągnąć

🇯🇵 期待に応えない

🇫🇷 ne pas atteindre

🇪🇸 no alcanzar

🇹🇷 başarı gösterememek

🇰🇷 기대에 미치지 못하다

🇸🇦 عدم تحقيق

🇨🇿 nedosahovat

🇸🇰 nedosahovať

🇨🇳 未达到

🇸🇮 ne doseči

🇮🇸 ná ekki

🇰🇿 жеткізбеу

🇬🇪 არ მიაღწიო

🇦🇿 çatdırmamaq

🇲🇽 no alcanzar

Etymology

The term 'underachieve' combines the prefix 'under-' meaning 'below' or 'less than', and 'achieve', which originates from the Old French term 'achever', meaning 'to complete' or 'to accomplish'. The concept of underachievement gained traction in educational discussions in the mid-20th century, particularly as psychologists and educators began to explore the discrepancies between a student's potential and their actual performance. The focus on underachievement reflects broader concerns about talent identification and the importance of environmental factors in education.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #41,795, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.