subterranean

adjective

sub·ter·ra·nean | \ ˌsəb-tə-ˈrā-nē-ən

, -nyən\

variants: or less commonly subterraneous \ ˌsəb-tə-ˈrā-nē-əs

, -nyəs \

Definition of subterranean

1 : being, lying, or operating under the surface of the earth

2 : existing or working in secret : hidden a subterranean network of criminals

Other Words from subterranean Synonyms & Antonyms Go Underground With Subterranean More Example Sentences Learn More about subterranean

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Synonyms & Antonyms for subterranean

Synonyms

belowground, subsurface, underground

Antonyms

aboveground, surface

Examples of subterranean in a Sentence

a subterranean bunker that supposedly could withstand even an atomic blast

Recent Examples on the Web

Debussy’s themes are subterranean where Wagner’s are musical elbows-in-the-ribs (This is the hero’s theme! Love! Death!). — Lloyd Schwartz, WSJ, "‘Debussy’ Review: An Ear for Beauty," 18 Oct. 2018 In Nashville, Tennessee, a development called Brentwood plans to include a subterranean garage to take advantage of improvements in autonomous parking technology to use less space and free up valuable above-ground real estate. — Patrick Sisson, Curbed, "Why valet parking is the future of smarter urban transit," 6 Aug. 2018 Ground unmanned vehicle operation is tough enough, with vertical challenges and broken terrain, but the subterranean realm adds an entirely new layer--particularly the difficulty in transmitting data underground. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The U.S. Military Wants Drones To Fly Through Enemy Caves and Map Them," 4 Oct. 2018 Yesterday, Equipment held its first full ready-to-wear presentation at Constantin Brancusi’s storied sculpture studio, a subterranean oasis of sorts that’s tucked away from the bustling crowds outside the nearby Pompidou Center. — Chioma Nnadi, Vogue, "Equipment Goes Beyond the Basic With Its First Full Ready-to-Wear Collection," 29 Sep. 2018 Here’s how Capy describes it: Test your adventurer mettle against The Isle’s procedural subterranean labyrinths. — Nick Statt, The Verge, "Long-awaited survival game Below is out next week," 6 Dec. 2018 Centuries of Roman history lie buried in the darkness in layers stretching down to 8.5 meters (27.89 feet) below the modern floor of the cathedral, and the subterranean archaeological sites are like a honeycomb through the city’s Caelian Hill. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Archaeologists map centuries of history beneath world’s oldest cathedral," 30 Nov. 2018 Between 1850 and 1941 an entire subterranean underworld lurked beneath this town, where people lived and died in a complex series of catacombs known as the Shanghai Tunnels. — Condé Nast Traveler, "8 Most Haunted Cities In America and Why You Should Visit," 18 Oct. 2018 The audio experience gets more impressive outside, where a subterranean subwoofer provides sonic power underneath our feet while blending into the landscape. — Jenny Xie, Curbed, "Designing a smart home for seamless entertainment," 4 Sep. 2018

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