1. people of lower rank or status; subordinates
Usage: often derogatory

Examples

• The CEO rarely spoke directly to his underlings.
• She treated her underlings with little respect.
• The manager delegated all the tedious tasks to his underlings.
• The king’s underlings carried out his orders without question.
• He felt like just another underling in the corporate hierarchy.
• The supervisor was promoted from the ranks of ordinary underlings.