underneath
Americanpreposition
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below the surface or level of; directly or vertically beneath; at or on the bottom of.
-
under the control of; in a lower position in a hierarchy of authority.
Underneath the department heads are the junior executives.
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hidden, disguised, or misrepresented, as by a false appearance or pretense.
Underneath his bluster is a timid nature.
adverb
adjective
noun
preposition
adjective
noun
Etymology
Origin of underneath
before 900; Middle English undernethe, Old English underneothan. See under, beneath
Vocabulary lists containing underneath
"Eleven"
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"Eleven," Vocabulary from the short story
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: under-
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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.
Earlier this week hot and dusty air moved out of north Africa and onto the Iberian Peninsula where it has intensified under sunny skies and the impact of dry ground underneath.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
"My relationship with the world around me shifted underneath my feet."
From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026
BRQ: My uniform was fishnets with Ugg boots that went up to my knees, shorts and two layered tank tops or a collared shirt with a tank top underneath and the collar open.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
Matthews: It’s very surprising, then you unpack it and see all of the layers of Gorsuch underneath.
From Slate ● Aug. 31, 2026
To pass the time, people told stories and often sang long into the night, anything to avoid the stuffy cabins underneath their feet.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
