beneath

adverb

be·neath | \ bi-ˈnēth

, bē-\

Definition of beneath

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : in or to a lower position : below the mountains and the towns beneath

2 : directly under : underneath Look at the illustration and read what is beneath.

beneath

preposition

Definition of beneath (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : in or to a lower position than : below beneath the surface

b : directly under the ground beneath her feet

c : at the foot of a camp beneath a hill

2 : not suitable to the rank of : unworthy of a job that is beneath his dignity

3 : under the control, pressure, or influence of the chair sagged beneath his weight

4 : concealed by : under the guise of a warm heart beneath a gruff manner

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about beneath

Keep scrolling for more

Synonyms & Antonyms for beneath

Synonyms: Adverb

below, under, underneath

Synonyms: Preposition

below, neath [dialect], under

Antonyms: Adverb

Antonyms: Preposition

above, over

Examples of beneath in a Sentence

Adverb

the mountains and the towns beneath the sky above and the earth beneath an awning with chairs and tables beneath The ground beneath is covered with flowers.

Preposition

the sky above us and the earth beneath us just beneath the surface of the water The painting is hanging on the wall with a plaque beneath it. We had a picnic beneath a large tree. The paper was hidden beneath a pile of books. She wore a sweater beneath her coat.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb

The solid permafrost that sits beneath many roads, buildings and pipelines is starting to thaw, destabilizing the infrastructure above. — Author: Brad Plumer, Anchorage Daily News, "‘Impossible to ignore’: Why Alaska is crafting a plan to fight climate change," 16 May 2018 As the sun beats down on a small vineyard by the rippling waters of Grossraeschen Lake, there's little sign of the vast wound that lies beneath. — Fox News, "How Germany is turning wasteland into vast lakeside resorts," 14 June 2018 The solid permafrost that sits beneath many roads, buildings and pipelines is starting to thaw, destabilizing the infrastructure above. — Author: Brad Plumer, Anchorage Daily News, "‘Impossible to ignore’: Why Alaska is crafting a plan to fight climate change," 16 May 2018 The solid permafrost that sits beneath many roads, buildings and pipelines is starting to thaw, destabilizing the infrastructure above. — Author: Brad Plumer, Anchorage Daily News, "‘Impossible to ignore’: Why Alaska is crafting a plan to fight climate change," 16 May 2018 But a rhythmic pattern thrums beneath, based on the grain of the wood the piece is painted on. — Cate Mcquaid, BostonGlobe.com, "Meet six talented art-school grads," 27 Apr. 2018 But beyond a recognizable name, what history lurks beneath? — Tim Mckeough, New York Times, "A Prewar Building’s History Becomes an Amenity," 24 May 2018 The solid permafrost that sits beneath many roads, buildings and pipelines is starting to thaw, destabilizing the infrastructure above. — Author: Brad Plumer, Anchorage Daily News, "‘Impossible to ignore’: Why Alaska is crafting a plan to fight climate change," 16 May 2018 The solid permafrost that sits beneath many roads, buildings and pipelines is starting to thaw, destabilizing the infrastructure above. — Author: Brad Plumer, Anchorage Daily News, "‘Impossible to ignore’: Why Alaska is crafting a plan to fight climate change," 16 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Preposition

The lace corseted top was tucked beneath a similar lace and silk slip skirt. — Alyssa Hardy, Teen Vogue, "Ariel Winter Wore a Head-to-Toe Lingerie Outfit to the Golden Globes Afterparty," 7 Jan. 2019 And magnetic sensors have been buried beneath the perimeter fence. — Helena Pozniak, Popular Mechanics, "The Technology That Will Finally Stop Poachers," 26 Nov. 2018 John Glass bowed his head as the cantor’s melody echoed through the cemetery in prayer for the children buried beneath the grassy-green surface. — Emanuella Grinberg, Smithsonian, "When a Bavarian Monastery Provided a Home to Jewish Refugees," 11 July 2018 This community happening will have pop-up artists' tents beneath shady trees, with live music playing from the gazebo, a children's craft tent and picnic-type food vendors gracing the grassy area. — Lake County News-Sun, "Calendar: Summer Arts Festival this weekend in Lake Bluff," 11 June 2018 Letting plants grow beneath the trees seemed like a squalid, lazy, weed-spreading hazard. — Nathanael Johnson, WIRED, "Are Avocados Toast?," 24 May 2018 Point Of Interest Set beneath a Black Cherry tree in the park is Connecticut's 9/11 Memorial. — Sarah Wesley Lemire, courant.com, "Five Connecticut Shoreline Destinations: All You Need To Know," 15 May 2018 But that's just part of the process and perhaps a part of the zen quality of McAbery's work: peeling back layers of wood, unsure of what will be revealed beneath the surface but learning something from the journey regardless. — Bob Shallit, sacbee, "How an ‘accidental artist’ became the zen master of wood," 16 June 2018 It's followed up by other stats including calories burned, distance traveled, latest workout recorded, and running plans beneath it. — Valentina Palladino, Ars Technica, "Huawei Watch GT review: When hardware and software don’t mesh," 16 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'beneath.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.