sub·sur·face
ˈsəb-ˌsər-fəs 
: earth material (such as rock) near but not exposed at the surface of the ground
sub·sur·face
ˌsəb-ˈsər-fəs
: of, relating to, or being something located beneath a surface and especially underground
Synonyms
Examples of subsurface in a Sentence
Adjective
a sandy wasteland that gave little hint of its subsurface wealth
Recent Examples on the Web
Jay Bennett, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Oct. 2024
The dwarf planets Pluto, Charon and Ceres could also have subsurface oceans below a surface ice layer.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
Liz Kruesi, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2015
An entire ocean’s worth is unlikely, but a significant amount of subsurface water isn’t.
—John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, 8 Dec. 2022
See all Example Sentences for subsurface 
Noun
Designed to determine whether Jupiter’s fourth-largest moon is habitable, the spacecraft is equipped with a suite of cameras and scientific instruments to investigate the structure and composition of Europa, including its subsurface ocean where life may exist today.
—Jay Bennett, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Oct. 2024
The dwarf planets Pluto, Charon and Ceres could also have subsurface oceans below a surface ice layer.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
Adjective
So Marco Mastrogiuseppe, a researcher on the Cassini team who had used instruments like RADAR to map subsurface water on Mars, decided to try something.
—Liz Kruesi, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2015
An entire ocean’s worth is unlikely, but a significant amount of subsurface water isn’t.
—John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, 8 Dec. 2022
See all Example Sentences for subsurface
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subsurface.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near subsurface
Cite this Entry
“Subsurface.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subsurface. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.
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