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
Synonyms & Antonyms for under
Synonyms: Adverb
Synonyms: Preposition
Antonyms: Adverb
Antonyms: Preposition
Visit the Thesaurus for More
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.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb
Christine Lambrecht, who will oversee defense, has vowed to properly fund Germany’s military, which has for years been under-resourced.
—
Lenora Chu, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Jan. 2022
Research has found that women are also under-represented in IPCC authorship: the proportion of female IPCC authors has seen a modest increase from less than 5% in 1990 to more than 20% in 2018.
—
Bonnie Chiu, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2021
Blockchain enthusiasts tout crypto as a means to welcome those who have been historically excluded and under-represented from finance into the fold.
—
Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2021
In addition to the political divide between union-friendly liberals and cost-conscious conservatives, the debate Friday included advocates for Black construction workers, who have traditionally been under-represented in apprenticeship programs.
—
Jeff Mcdonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Aug. 2021
Researchers found racial and ethnic minorities were under-represented among patients in roughly 4 out of 5 hospitals in the country.
—
Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 27 July 2021
Music is not only intangible but has also become commoditized, undervalued, and deeply under-appreciated.
—
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2021
Predictably, the feeling of being irreplaceable has led to a feeling of entitlement and a sense of being under-appreciated.
—
Don Yaeger, Forbes, 10 Nov. 2021
And perhaps under-appreciated about her game is her defense, which Auriemma has gone out of his way to compliment.
—
Alexa Philippou, courant.com, 6 Nov. 2021
Recent Examples on the Web: Preposition
The Australian Open will take place in Melbourne, which spent more time under Covid-19 lockdowns than most other cities in the world.
—
NBC News, 6 Jan. 2022
In Florida, Laundrie slipped away from his parents’ home in North Port on Sept. 13 – under the nose of local police who declined to name him a suspect.
—
Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 6 Jan. 2022
Travelers under the age of two continue to be exempt from testing requirements.
—
Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2022
The agency’s staffing levels reached a critical point under Carvajal and officers at several facilities have held protests calling for him to be fired.
—
Michael Balsamo And Michael R. Sisak, Chron, 5 Jan. 2022
To put into perspective how much the roster has changed under Taylor, only 13 players on the current team were playing for the Bengals before Taylor arrived.
—
Kelsey Conway, The Enquirer, 5 Jan. 2022
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was appointed by the transitional government in 2019, was placed under house arrest along with a number of other senior politicians.
—
Conor Finnegan, ABC News, 5 Jan. 2022
If passed, there would be no more early voting, and casting an absentee ballot would only be allowed under certain circumstances.
—
Bryan Schott, The Salt Lake Tribune, 5 Jan. 2022
What a mighty tome—probably best studied under academic guidance, but to be read for pleasure?
—
Riza Cruz, ELLE, 5 Jan. 2022
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
The Fresh Eye gel is applied with a cooling rollerball and makes your under-eyes feel instantly refreshed, hydrated, and plumped.
—
Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, 29 Nov. 2021
Auburn’s season win total this year was seven, with heavy juice to the under.
—
Christopher Smith, al, 21 Nov. 2021
But Google’s phone wouldn’t have featured an under-display camera like Samsung’s handset.
—
Chris Smith, BGR, 16 Nov. 2021
Instead, focus on the under and expect both teams to look a bit disjointed.
—
Adam Burke Vsin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2021
The Fold3's trio of rear cameras are complemented by an under-display camera.
—
Lauren Goode, Wired, 13 Aug. 2021
Arbery had been captured on surveillance video on five occasions in an under-construction home in the neighborhood, and the McMichaels recognized him from the footage.
—
Rebecca Rosenberg, Fox News, 22 Nov. 2021
The owner of the under-construction home, Larry English, never saw Arbery take anything, Rash told the McMichaels.
—
Washington Post, 13 Nov. 2021
The owner of the under-construction home, Larry English, never saw Arbery take anything, Rash told the McMichaels.
—
Hannah Knowles, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Nov. 2021
See MoreThese 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.
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
Statistics for under
Last Updated
18 Jan 2022
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Cite this Entry
“Under.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/under. Accessed 19 Jan. 2022.
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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) : underneath
: 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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Time Traveler for under
The first known use of under was before the 12th century
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