underwhelm
verb
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Overwhelm and its rare synonym whelm have both been around since the Middle Ages, but underwhelm is a 20th-century coinage. Both overwhelm and whelm come from the Middle English whelmen, meaning "to turn over" or "to cover up." Underwhelm is a playful overturning of overwhelm that is well suited for contexts in which something fails to excite. As is often the case with younger words, there is a certain amount of misinformation regarding where underwhelm came from. We have seen reports that the playwright George S. Kaufman coined it, and also that the famed sportswriter Red Smith claimed to have used it first. Neither of these is likely to be accurate, for the simple fact that there is evidence that underwhelming was used, albeit as an adjective, before either of these men was born.
Examples of underwhelm in a Sentence
Graham Ruthven, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024
Unlike last season down the road with the Hoosiers in Bloomington, this NBA baptism has come in measured doses, intended not to overwhelm, but also with expectations of Ware not to underwhelm.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 15 Nov. 2024
Apple underwhelms Kodak Digital photography is another example.
—Will Daniel, Fortune, 9 July 2024
Left guard Brady Christensen, who missed all but one game last season, could be an option, even if that might underwhelm onlookers.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 12 Feb. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Underwhelm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underwhelm. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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