woody shrubs or small trees growing among taller trees.
a clump or stretch of such growth.
First recorded in 1275–1325, underwood is from the Middle English word underwode. See under-, wood 1
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Carrie underwood being an antimasker is just sad," wrote another.
From Fox News ● Aug. 18, 2021
“The natural underwood has been grubbed up,” Olmsted wrote at the time, “the trees, to a height of 10 to 15 feet, trimmed to bare poles.”
From New York Times ● Jul. 13, 2016
Its banks were covered with tangled underwood, and dense forest-trees—presenting a scene of unbroken wildness.
From Gleanings by the Way by Clark, John A.
They are thickly covered with high timber and much underwood, and from their summits there is a fine prospect over the whole of the surrounding hilly country.
From Travels in the Interior of North America, Part I, (Being Chapters I-XV of the London Edition, 1843) Early Western Travels, 1748-1846, Volume XXII by Maximilian, Alexander Philipp
As we slowly wended our way up this mighty stream we found the shores adorned with flowers, and covered with cane-brake and thick underwood.
From Gleanings by the Way by Clark, John A.
The property, which was listed in June, is represented by Ryan Underwood of Keller Williams Copper City Realty and records show that the residence is still registered under Blackstock’s full name—Narvel Brandon Blackstock.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
Sheryl Underwood expertly executed the punchlines and made the culture the star of her set.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026
"It would be a huge loss," said Underwood, writing on her online appeal page.
From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2026
“The best players in the NBA now are European,” Underwood said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 25, 2026
The old Paine Underwood would have eagerly picked up the phone and ranted, but the new Paine Underwood took Donna Underwood’s advice and let it ring off the hook.
From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen
Warblers and titmice twittered in the leafy treetops, and butterflies of several kinds, notably one gorgeous creature in yellow and black, like a larger and more resplendent Turnus, went fluttering through the underwoods.
From A Florida Sketch-Book by Torrey, Bradford
Could we thus stand upon the hilltops and keep watch through the long coal building ages, we should see generation after generation of forest trees and underwoods living, withering, dying, falling to earth.
From Eighth Reader by Baldwin, James
The gum or resin of this fragrant vegetable is collected from extensive underwoods of it in the East by a singular contrivance.
From The Botanic Garden. Part II. Containing the Loves of the Plants. a Poem. With Philosophical Notes. by Darwin, Erasmus
For preventing injury to flowering and other plants, shrubs, vegetation, trees, woods and underwoods on or near the said river.
From Boating by Woodgate, W. B.
Thou, in sunny solitudes, Rover of the underwoods, The green silence dost displace With thy mellow, breezy bass.
From Books and Habits from the Lectures of Lafcadio Hearn by Hearn, Lafcadio
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
