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.
"If there is someone alive, it would be a miracle, but I don't think there's anyone alive underneath," said Fernando Gaitan, a 55-year-old restaurant delivery worker.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
“We think it addresses the residual-value question underneath every neocloud bear case.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026
Percussion underneath, horns above, their rendition of “Tequila!” with a ska spirit.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
The full-back and winger would regularly combine on the outside, but the relationship was never as simple as one holding the width and the other supporting underneath statically.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
I, however, felt the distinct need to hide underneath my simulation chair.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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.
