understudy

noun
UK: /ˌʌndəˈstʌdi/
US: /ˌʌndərˈstʌdi/

  1. A person who learns the role of another performer in order to act as a replacement if necessary.

    1. She is the understudy for the lead role.
    2. The understudy had to perform when the star got sick, which was a great opportunity.

  2. A performer ready to take on a role at short notice.

    1. He's an understudy in the play.
    2. The director selected a seasoned actor as the understudy, ensuring a smooth performance.

Synonyms

stand-in cover substitute reserve backup
understudy verb

  1. To learn a role in order to be able to replace the usual actor or actress if they are ill or absent.

    1. She had to understudy the main role.
    2. The young actor was asked to understudy for the lead, and he was very happy.

  2. To prepare as a replacement for a performer.

    1. He's understudying the part of Hamlet.
    2. The actress is understudying the lead female role, which will increase her visibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "understudy" in English means: A person who learns the role of another performer in order to act as a replacement if necessary., A performer ready to take on a role at short notice..

The phonetic transcription of "understudy" is /ˌʌndəˈstʌdi/ in British English and /ˌʌndərˈstʌdi/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "understudy": stand-in, cover, substitute, reserve, backup.

Example usage of "understudy": "She is the understudy for the lead role.". More examples on the page.