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undercurrent

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

noun

  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.

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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!

Etymology

Origin of undercurrent

First recorded in 1675–85; under- + current

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The songs on Black British Music are vivid and evocative, finding light in the darkness but never quite shaking off an undercurrent of sadness.

From BBC

Initially, “Father Mother Sister Brother” appears to be similar, but there’s a cumulative power to the movie, which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, that reveals a subtle but profound thematic undercurrent.

From Los Angeles Times

Through it all, is an undercurrent of suspicion of institutions and each other.

From BBC

Although the label is itself lighthearted, its popularity points to a rising undercurrent of fatigue and frustration.

From MarketWatch

It’s possible to miss some of the dramatic undercurrents gripping the stock market right now by looking only at the surface.

From MarketWatch

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.