subterranean
adjective
sub·ter·ra·nean
ˌsəb-tə-ˈrā-nē-ən 
-nyən
variants
or less commonly subterraneous
ˌsəb-tə-ˈrā-nē-əs
-nyəs
1
: being, lying, or operating under the surface of the earth
2
: existing or working in secret : hidden
a subterranean network of criminals
subterraneanly
adverb
or less commonly subterraneously
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Go Underground With Subterranean
A tunnel is a subterranean road or pathway, and a subway is a subterranean railway. The subterranean vaults at Fort Knox hold billions of dollars of gold reserves. Subterranean reservoirs called aquifers are tapped for water; in places where the pressure on the subterranean water is great enough, a hole drilled in the ground will bring it bubbling to the surface.
Examples of subterranean in a Sentence
a subterranean bunker that supposedly could withstand even an atomic blast
Recent Examples on the Web
All of that water weight exerts a steady downward pressure, suppressing rifting and magma flow, and keeping the subterranean region relatively quiescent.
—
Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 12 Nov. 2025
The trip then wraps up with a stay at The Londoner hotel in London's West End complete with a subterranean wellness sanctuary and rooftop dining.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 12 Nov. 2025
In the tunnels below Las Vegas, the mission to construct the subterranean highway system continues.
—Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 12 Nov. 2025
Each home is to be built over a subterranean basement and include an attached garage.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subterranean
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Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 12 Nov. 2025
The trip then wraps up with a stay at The Londoner hotel in London's West End complete with a subterranean wellness sanctuary and rooftop dining.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 12 Nov. 2025
In the tunnels below Las Vegas, the mission to construct the subterranean highway system continues.
—Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 12 Nov. 2025
Each home is to be built over a subterranean basement and include an attached garage.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subterranean
Cite this Entry
“Subterranean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subterranean. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
subterranean
adjective
sub·ter·ra·nean
ˌsəb-tə-ˈrā-nē-ən
-nyən
1
: being, lying, or operating under the surface of the earth
2
: existing or working in secret : hidden
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