underneath
Americanpreposition
-
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.
-
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.
But every other chip in the data center can be pointed at whatever model comes next, which is the assumption underneath the current depreciation schedules the AI buildout is financed on.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
“I like to go deeper into a house and find things underneath things.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
The LRO, in service since 2009, circles the Moon from pole to pole every two hours while the Moon rotates underneath it.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
“Hitch a Ride” starts as a ballad akin to the Beatles’ “Dear Prudence,” but the tempo quickly picks up, and multiple guitars come and go with an organ underneath.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
There hadn’t been anyone on the bridge when they passed underneath, but by the time they stumbled into sight, a sheriff’s car was on the road and people had gathered to watch the flood.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
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.
