Gifted underachievement, at first glance, seems like an oxymoron. By implicit definition gifted students are those who have developed high levels of intelligence and consistently perform at these high levels (Clark, 2002). Underachievement, on the other hand, is associated with a failure to do well in school. This seeming mismatch of terms is puzzling--giftedness and underachievement do not mesh. Like an oxymoron, they are at opposite ends of the educational spectrum. A considerable number of articles, studies, and books have been written on the subject of gifted underachievement. Rather than clarifying a perplexing situation, the sheer amount of information and inconsistencies in definition muddies the waters. Without a clear definition, the concept of gifted underachievement remains elusive. In an effort to understand and recognize gifted underachievement, this article explores the definition, characteristics, causes, and available interventions. Also, attention to underachievement in special populations is briefly examined and discussed in an attempt to better understand this puzzling phenomenon.