un·der·neath
ˌən-dər-ˈnēth 
1
a
: directly beneath
write the date underneath the address
b
: close under especially so as to be hidden
treachery lying underneath a mask of friendliness
wore a swimsuit underneath his slacks
2
: under subjection to
underneath
adjective
Examples of underneath in a Sentence
Preposition
He hid the envelope underneath his coat.
She slipped a note underneath the door.
The ball rolled underneath the car.
He lives in the apartment underneath mine.
There was gum stuck underneath the table.
Underneath her calm exterior was a nervous woman with a hot temper.
They actually had a lot in common underneath their obvious differences.
Adverb
He wore a white sweater with a red shirt underneath.
She lifted up the rock and found ants crawling underneath.
The car had rust underneath.
Recent Examples on the Web
Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2026
Berrios-Otero allegedly covered the child’s lower body with the blanket and put his hand underneath it, police wrote.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026
Caroline Wagner, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
Trump’s signature, marked in gold, can be seen underneath.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underneath
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Preposition
So heavy, in fact, that the Magic crumbled underneath the weight and the tone of the series has changed, and the reasons are impossible to ignore.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2026
Berrios-Otero allegedly covered the child’s lower body with the blanket and put his hand underneath it, police wrote.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026
Adverb
The current moment tears the Band-Aid off this old conflict and the complex system underneath.
—Caroline Wagner, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
Trump’s signature, marked in gold, can be seen underneath.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underneath
Cite this Entry
“Underneath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underneath. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underneath
1 of 2 preposition
un·der·neath
ˌən-dər-ˈnēth
1
: right under
wore their bathing suits underneath their clothes
2
: under the control of
underneath
2 of 2 adverb1
: under or below an object or an outside part
soaked through the jacket to the shirt underneath
2
: on the lower side
a pot blackened underneath
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