# undrafted

CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/undrafted
Updated: 2026-10-15

## Definition

not picked in the official selection for a sports team or the army. You use this for players who join a team later even though no team chose them at first.

For teachers: not selected during an official draft for professional sports teams or compulsory military service. Most commonly describes athletes who enter a league without draft selection.

## Examples

- He plays well even though he is undrafted.
- After going undrafted last spring, she signed as a free agent and earned a spot in training camp.
- Despite going undrafted out of college, the guard built a long career through persistence, defensive discipline, and timely shooting that finally forced coaches to trust him.

## Antonyms

drafted

## Usage notes

- Typically follows 'go' or 'be' ('go undrafted', 'is undrafted'); also used before nouns ('an undrafted player').

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.