dark horse

noun

1

a

: a usually little known contender (such as a racehorse) that makes an unexpectedly good showing

b

: an entrant in a contest that is judged unlikely to succeed

2

: a political candidate unexpectedly nominated usually as a compromise between factions

Examples of dark horse in a Sentence

The Democrat from Utah has gone from being a dark horse to the front-runner in the campaign for President.

The movie is a dark horse for the award.

He is a dark horse, but I did find out that he once played football professionally.

Recent Examples on the Web

This opens the door for the Rangers to swoop in as a dark horse suitor in the Alonso sweepstakes. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024

Finally, Sessions — who chaired the committee from 2013-18 — is considered a dark horse candidate to reprise the role. —Emily Brooks, The Hill, 16 Dec. 2024

McCormick could be shaping up to be this season’s version of White, emerging as a dark horse candidate to provide short-term RB utility for fantasy managers in the coming weeks. —Theo Gremminger, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024

The Houston Rockets are a dark horse to monitor leading up to the trade deadline. —Bryan Toporek, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

dark horse

noun

: a contestant or a political figure whose abilities and chances of winning are not known

the convention nominated a dark horse