undercurrent

American  

[uhn-der-kur-uhnt, -kuhr-] / ˈʌn dərˌkɜr ənt, -ˌkʌr- /

noun

undercurrents plural

1. a tendency underlying or at variance with the obvious or superficial significance of words, actions, etc..

   Even in his friendliest remarks, one could sense an undercurrent of hostility.

2. a current, as of air or water, that flows below the upper currents or surface.

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undercurrent British  

/ ˈʌndəˌkʌrənt /

noun

1. a current that is not apparent at the surface or lies beneath another current

2. an opinion, emotion, etc, lying beneath apparent feeling or meaning

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Usage

What is an undercurrent? An undercurrent is a flow of water or air that moves below the highest current or the surface. Undercurrent is more often used figuratively to mean a tendency underlying or at odds with what’s on the surface, as in While the two candidates smiled and shook hands, everyone in the room could feel the undercurrent of aggression between them. Example: The undercurrent at the beach today was so strong, I worried it was going to carry me out to sea!

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• undercurrents
  plural

Etymology

Origin of undercurrent

First recorded in 1675–85; under- + current

Explanation

An undercurrent is a mood or atmosphere just below the surface, like the undercurrent of anxiety in your school during final exams. The figurative meaning of undercurrent is more common than its literal definition, "an ocean current that runs beneath the surface of the water." Another word for this kind of undercurrent is a "subsurface current." When most of us use the word undercurrent, however, we're talking about a general state of mind, something that subtly influences the way people feel, like the undercurrent of suspense running through a good horror movie.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

undercurrent undercurrents

Anyone who knows Early’s comedy knows that even his most eviscerating jokes have an undercurrent of love and hope.

From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026

A presumption that there is an undercurrent of simmering rage in day-to-day life has taken hold in ways that might have startled past generations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026

Yet an undercurrent of resentment flows through “Remember the Times” — a sense that Riley feels his legacy isn’t as secure as those of Jam and Lewis or Babyface and L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2026

“While more elevated U.S. yields are in part a macro story, an undercurrent of deficit concerns and renewed wariness around the dollar amid Greenland tensions also remains,” said ING’s senior European rates strategist Michiel Tukker.

From Barron's ● Jan. 20, 2026

The woman’s voice was sickly sweet with an undercurrent of poisonous.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia

He said although there were signs, he thought more were needed to warn people about the "sandbanks and the undercurrents there, and to keep inshore".

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

When I read it in high school, I wasn’t engaging with its undercurrents of racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, gender or sexuality in the way I do now.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

But on a deeper level Wilder’s play, with its tragic undercurrents, speaks to another fundamental virtue enshrined as an American ideal: the importance of honesty.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026

“In an eventual post-crisis world, a multi- polar environment lends itself to a much more gold-positive one. Additionally, many of the undercurrents that drove gold prices higher remain intact, albeit on pause,” he added.

From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026

Somehow during their aimless but oh-so-significant conversation with its delicious pauses and thrilling undercurrents of emotion, they came to know that they loved each other passionately.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

Related Words

• atmosphere
• aura
• crosscurrent
• feeling
• hint
• inclination
• indication
• intimation
• murmur
• overtone
• sense
• tinge
• undertone
• undertow