under

1 of 3

adverb

un·​der ˈən-dər 

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

2 of 3

preposition

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

2

a

: 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

3

a

: 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

see also:

under arrest under attack under cover under heel under one's belt under one's wing under the gun under the wire

under

3 of 3

adjective

1

a

: lying or placed below, beneath, or on the ventral side

—often used in combination

the ocean's undercurrents

the 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 of under

Adverb

• underneath
• beneath
• below

Preposition

• beneath

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

College campuses are alarmingly under-populated, said Marina Villeneuve in The Guardian. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 22 Sep. 2026

MetroWest Elementary School is now one of the most under-enrolled in Orange, with roughly 400 students on a campus meant for 840. — Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026

Preposition

Fusion signatures face scrutiny The researchers also found temperature differences between the active reactor and a calibration device operating under comparable input-power conditions. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026

Yet Marcon’s works defy old-world tempos with their pacing (the shots in Monelle, 2017, last no more than a second each), their length (several clock in at under five minutes), and, of course, the seeming ease with which they can be summarized. — Matthew McLean, Artforum, 22 Sep. 2026

Adjective

The offense was far from perfect, specifically the inexcusable pick-6 Burrow threw to Trotter in the second half to allow Tampa Bay back in the game, but the under-center formation proved beneficial and effective. — Zak Keefer, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026

Their format is mostly over-or-under bets on player props that are combined into parlay options. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English, adverb & preposition, from Old English; akin to Old High German untar under, Latin inferus situated beneath, lower, infra below, Sanskrit adha

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing under

• a burr in/under the saddle
• and under
• bend under one's own weight
• be under the impression
• build a fire under
• come under
• come under attack
• come under fire
• courage under fire
• down under
• drink (someone) under the table
• drive under the influence
• fall under
• get under someone's skin
• going under the knife
• go under
• go under the knife
• grace under fire
• have one's legs/feet/knees cut out from under (one)
• hide one's light under a bushel
• hot under the collar
• in/under someone's control
• keep (something) under one's hat
• keep under surveillance
• kept/placed under restraint
• kept under wraps
• knuckle under
• labor under a delusion/misapprehension/misconception
• labor under the misconception
• let the grass grow under one's feet
• light a fire under (someone)
• live under a rock
• not under any circumstances/under no circumstances
• not under any obligation
• on/under false pretenses
• on/under/with the assumption
• or under
• plow under
• pull the rug from under
• put the skids under
• put under the microscope
• (right) under someone's nose
• sit under
• snow under
• sweep (something) under the carpet
• sweep (something) under the rug
• take (someone) under one's wing
• take (something) under advisement
• throw (someone) under the bus
• to come under attack
• under a cloud of suspicion
• under a doctor's care
• under a lot of strain
• under an alias
• under appeal
• under a pseudonym
• under arrest
• under a spell
• under assault
• under a/the microscope
• under (a/the) strain
• under attack
• under budget
• under canvas
• under certain circumstances
• under compulsion
• under consideration
• under construction
• under contract
• under control
• under cover
• under cover of anonymity
• under deadline
• under debate
• under discussion
• under examination
• under false pretenses
• under fire
• under glass
• under guard
• under heel
• under indictment
• under/in normal circumstances
• under investigation
• under its own steam
• under license
• under lock and key
• under my roof
• under negotiation
• under new management
• under no compulsion
• under no condition
• under no legal obligation
• under no obligation
• under oath
• under observation
• under one roof
• under one's belt
• under one's breath
• under one's feet
• under one's hat
• under one's nose
• under one's own power
• under one's skin
• under one's sway
• under one's thumb
• under one's wing
• under/on the pretense of
• under pain of
• under par
• under pressure
• under protest
• under restraint
• under review
• under sail
• under scrutiny
• under seal
• under secretary
• under separate cover
• under siege
• under someone's heel
• under someone's leadership
• under someone's roof
• under someone's/something's name
• under someone's thumb
• under (someone's) tutelage
• under stress
• under (strict) orders
• under suspicion
• under the auspices of
• under the authority of
• under the banner of
• under the big top
• under the circumstances
• under the control of
• under the cosh
• under-the-counter
• under (the) cover of darkness/night
• under the eye of
• under the guise of
• under the gun
• under the hammer
• under the heel of (someone)
• under the illusion
• under the impression
• under the influence
• under the influence of
• under the media spotlight
• under the misconception
• under the name (of) (someone/something)
• under the plow
• under the radar
• under the rose
• under the same roof
• under the skin
• under the sun
• under the sway of (someone)
• under-the-table
• under the thumb
• under the tutelage of (someone)
• under the watchful/vigilant eye of
• under the weather
• under the wind
• under the wire
• under threat
• under way
• under weigh
• under wraps
• water under the bridge

Rhymes for under

• blunder
• bunder
• funder
• plunder
• sunder
• thunder
• asunder

Kids Definition

under

1 of 3 adverb

un·​der ˈən-dər 

1

: in or into a position below or beneath something

the duck surfaced, then went under again

2

: below some quantity, level, or average

ten dollars or under

—often used in combination

underplayed the part

3

: in or into a losing, lower, or unconscious state or condition

kept my disappointment under

put the patient under for surgery

4

: so as to be covered or hidden

turned under by the plow

under

2 of 3 preposition

un·​der

ˌən-dər, 

ˈən-

1

: below or beneath and topped or sheltered by

under sunny skies

under a tree

wearing a sweater under my jacket

2

a

: bound by the authority or guidance of

served under the general

b

: affected or influenced by the action or result of

the disease is under treatment

3

: within the group or division of

under this heading

4

a

: less or lower than (as in size, amount, or rank)

all masses under 90 kilograms

nobody under a colonel

b

: below the required level of

under legal age

under

3 of 3 adjective

un·​der

ˈən-dər

1

a

: lying or placed below

—often used in combination

the sea's undercurrents

the underside of a car

b

: facing or bulging downward

—often used in combination

the undersurface of a leaf

2

: lower in position or authority : subordinate

—often used in combination

the undersecretary of defense

3

: lower than usual, proper, or desired in amount or quality

—often used in combination

undernourished children

Medical Definition

under

1 of 3 adverb

un·​der ˈən-dər 

: in or into a condition of unconsciousness

put the patient under prior to surgery

under

2 of 3 preposition

: receiving or using the action or application of

an operation performed under local anesthesia

under

3 of 3 adjective

: being in an induced state of unconsciousness

given intravenously when the patient is under

—C. A. Birch