SINCE 1828
under
adverb
un·der
| \ ˈən-dər
\
\
Definition of under
(Entry 1 of 3)
1
: in or into a position below or beneath something
2
: below or short of some quantity, level, or limit
$10 or under
—often used in combination understaffed
3
: in or into a condition of subjection, subordination, or unconsciousness
put the patient under for surgery
4
: down to defeat, ruin, or death
weaker competitors will be forced under
5
: so as to be covered
buried under by the avalanche
under
prepositionDefinition of under (Entry 2 of 3)
1
: below or beneath so as to be overhung, surmounted, covered, protected, or concealed by
under sunny skies a soft heart under a stern exterior under cover of darkness
2a
: subject to the authority, control, guidance, or instruction of
served under the general under the terms of the contract a program that runs under any operating system
b
: receiving or undergoing the action or effect of
under pressure courage under fire under the influence of alcohol the image of a point under a mapping under oath
3a
: within the group or designation of
under this heading
b
: having as name or title
traveling under an alias
4
: less or lower than (as in size, amount, or rank)
especially
: falling short of a standard or required degree
under the legal age under par
under
adjectiveDefinition of under (Entry 3 of 3)
1a
: lying or placed below, beneath, or on the ventral side
—often used in combination the ocean's undercurrentsthe underside of a car
b
: facing or protruding downward
—often used in combination the undersurface of a leaf
2
: lower in rank or authority : subordinate
—often used in combination the undersecretary of defense
3
: lower than usual, proper, or desired in amount, quality, or degree
—often used in combination undernourished children
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Synonyms & Antonyms for under
Synonyms: Adverb
Synonyms: Preposition
below, beneath, neath [dialect]
Antonyms: Adverb
Antonyms: Preposition
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Examples of under in a Sentence
Adverb
Pull the bed sheets tight then fold the ends under. He turned under his shirt's collar. The whale surfaced briefly then dove under again. The bridge was too low for the ship to sail under. A score of 60 is needed to pass; anything under is failing. They had to put me under for surgery.Preposition
They couldn't climb over the wall, so they dug a hole under it. Draw a line under each word you don't know. We sat under a tree and rested a while. I'm wearing a sweater under my jacket. The ball rolled under the car. How long can you hold your breath under water? The cafe is under new management. The army captured three forts while under the general's command. He has been under a lot of pressure at work lately. You will be under anesthesia during the operation.
Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb
Tickets for three separate haunted houses cost $20 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under and people 65 and older. — Jordyn Noennig, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "The Deer District becomes the Fear District with haunted houses, Halloween movies and more beginning Sept. 26," 3 Sep. 2019 This program is free for members, $10 per non-member and $5 per child 12 or under. — courant.com, "Community News For The Glastonbury Edition," 15 Aug. 2019 The drug Zolgensma was approved in May to treat spinal muscular atrophy in children 2 and under. — Lauren Dunn, NBC News, "FDA raises accuracy questions over trial data of gene therapy drug," 6 Aug. 2019 Kids can use a bug net, discover butterflies and make lots of art during a program that is designed for children 12 and under, especially kids in preschool and early elementary school, and their caregivers. — Rachel K. Hindery, chicagotribune.com, "Kids can learn how butterflies migrate, how pollinators produce fruit at Insect Fest," 16 July 2019 Starting June 12, any child 18 or under can get meals at Orange Glen, San Pasqual, Valley, and Escondido High Schools; Del Lago Academy, Bernardo, Conway, Lincoln and L.R. Green Elementary Schools; and Washington and Grove Parks. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Escondido schools and parks offer summer meals," 5 June 2019 Tickets the day of the event are $6 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under. — Sam Boyer, cleveland.com, "Young women take first steps to state, national titles: Whit & Whimsey," 23 Aug. 2019 Admission to the interactive dinosaur event costs $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and $22 and children 12 and under, but the $36 VIP pass includes unlimited rides and activities. — Phillip Valys, sun-sentinel.com, "Jurassic Quest: 80 life-size dinosaurs stampeding into West Palm Beach this weekend," 13 Aug. 2019 General admission is $25 adults/$17 kids (ages 5-12) and free for age 4 and under. — Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al.com, "How to get the most out of your Rocket Center visit," 22 July 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Preposition
The boy, who didn’t fight back, was pinned to the floor and appeared unconscious under a pool of blood. — Washington Post, "Hong Kong tells US to stay out; students form protest chains," 10 Sep. 2019 In a startling shift that has occurred under the Trump Administration, the U.S. and its allies in Afghanistan have been linked to more civilian deaths than the Taliban this year. — Robin Wright, The New Yorker, "Trump’s Stunt with the Taliban Was Not About Negotiating Peace," 10 Sep. 2019 On Monday, just two days after Trump pulled the rug out from under Khalilzad’s Taliban negotiations, North Korea’s vice foreign minister said that Pyongyang would be willing to engage in working-level talks later this month. — Ankit Panda, The New Republic, "The Tragedy of Trump Diplomacy," 9 Sep. 2019 Others fly under the radar, like a heated dispute over the origins of Mead’s skipper, a 150-year-old butterfly gathering dust on a Harvard University museum shelf (above). — Stephenie Livingston, Science | AAAS, "Genetic ‘road map’ reveals the lost birthplace of a 150-year-old butterfly," 9 Sep. 2019 The lull period of Tennessee football is hitting new lows under head coach Jeremy Pruitt. — Tyler Horka, USA TODAY, "SEC Football Power Rankings: Where does LSU land after win over Texas?," 9 Sep. 2019 At the same time, though, the workplace complaints that surfaced this year were about the culture that has developed under Flynn and Jay Berhalter. — Grant Wahl, SI.com, "With CEO Dan Flynn Stepping Down, What Now for U.S. Soccer?," 9 Sep. 2019 After Epstein’s arrest, he was allowed to plead guilty under a controversial deal with the U.S. Attorney’s office in Miami. — Martha Ross, The Mercury News, "Prince Andrew’s bad news weekend: New reports say he ‘raged’ at royal aide and invited Jeffrey Epstein to daughter’s 18th birthday," 9 Sep. 2019 The Colts trailed 24-16 with under nine minutes to play in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Chargers were driving for another score. — Nathan Baird, cleveland.com, "Former Ohio State football safety Malik Hooker snags one-handed interception | Buckeye Breakfast," 9 Sep. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
The Phillies are more of an under team, but Atlanta draws out the over in them (nine of 12 meetings this season). — Chris Wassel, USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire, "Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies odds, picks and best bets," 9 Sep. 2019 Also, there has been a huge outcry about the under-representation of women directors. — Dina Iordanova, Quartz, "Only two of the directors featured at the Venice International Film Festival are women," 4 Sep. 2019 The gunfire hit an 18-year-old man in the chest, arm and stomach and an 18-year-old woman in the under arm, police said. — William Lee, chicagotribune.com, "Police release photos in effort to identify shooter who shot 3 on CTA bus," 19 June 2019 No one was under arrest as of early Saturday morning and the circumstances of the shootings are under investigation. — Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, "Second St. Paul shooting leaves 5 wounded, 1 critically," 29 June 2019 Police said both Hunt and a man named James Gray were under arrest as of Friday afternoon. — Loyd Brumfield, Dallas News, "Shooting suspect questioned after man wounded at Love Field-area apartments," 28 June 2019 The biker exemption is one of many carve-outs under consideration as officials haggle over the final details of a congestion pricing system this weekend. — Jimmy Vielkind, WSJ, "Motorcyclists May Steer Clear of New Congestion-Pricing Fee," 29 Mar. 2019 For the eyes, concentrate on the under eyes and tear ducts to effectively counteract dark circles. — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, "A Guide to Ageless Makeup for Women Over 50, According to an Industry Veteran," 27 Mar. 2019 Her base nearly complete, Marley goes in with NARS’s Radiant Creamy Concealer on the under eyes and contours the hollows of her cheeks before using a powder foundation to seal everything in. — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, "Watch Zuri Marley Do Her Full Valentine’s Day Date Night Beauty Look," 13 Feb. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'under.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Learn More about under
From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
The Over and Under of It
The Over and Under of It
9 phrases from above and below
Dictionary Entries near under
Statistics for under
Last Updated
11 Sep 2019
Look-up Popularity
Time Traveler for under
The first known use of under was before the 12th century
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More Definitions for under
under
adverb
English Language Learners Definition of under
(Entry 1 of 2)
: in or into a position that is below or beneath something
especially
: in a position that is below the surface of water
: in a forward direction that passes below something
: less than an expected or stated number or amount
under
prepositionEnglish Language Learners Definition of under (Entry 2 of 2)
: in or to a lower place than (something) : below or beneath (something)
: guided or managed by (a person or group)
: controlled or affected by (something)
See the full definition for under in the English Language Learners Dictionary
under
adverb
un·der
| \ ˈən-dər
\
\
Kids Definition of under
(Entry 1 of 3)
1
: in or into a position below or beneath something
The dog squeezed under the fence.
2
: below some quantity or level
ten dollars or under
under
prepositionKids Definition of under (Entry 2 of 3)
1
: lower than and topped or sheltered by
under a tree
2
: below the surface of
under the sea
3
: in or into such a position as to be covered or hidden by
I wore a sweater under my jacket.
4
: commanded or guided by
Many soldiers served under George Washington.
5
: controlled or managed by
The restaurant is under new management.
6
: affected or influenced by the action or effect of
The disease is under treatment.
7
: within the division or grouping of
That information is under this heading.
8
: less or lower than (as in size, amount, or rank)
The candy costs under a dollar. The package weighs under two pounds.
under
adjectiveKids Definition of under (Entry 3 of 3)
1
: lying or placed below or beneath
2
: lower in position or authority
Hint:
The adjective under is often used in combination with other words. underside
under
adverb
un·der
| \ ˈən-dər
\
\
Medical Definition of under
(Entry 1 of 3)
: in or into a condition of unconsciousness
put the patient under prior to surgery
under
prepositionMedical Definition of under (Entry 2 of 3)
: receiving or using the action or application of
an operation performed under local anesthesia
under
adjectiveMedical Definition of under (Entry 3 of 3)
: being in an induced state of unconsciousness
given intravenously when the patient is under— C. A. Birch
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