underfoot

adverb

un·​der·​foot ˌən-dər-ˈfu̇t 

1

: under the foot especially against the ground

trampled the flowers underfoot

2

: below, at, or before one's feet

warm sand underfoot

3

: in the way

children always getting underfoot

Examples of underfoot in a Sentence

The ground was slippery underfoot.

We walked with dried leaves crunching underfoot.

Recent Examples on the Web

Mothers who worked, or had too many children underfoot to accompany their daughters themselves, would ask an older girl from the neighborhood to do them the favor. —Annie Ernaux, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

The Carnival is stable at highway speeds, making long-distance cruising effortless, and the brakes feel strong underfoot. —Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026

Its slightly cropped fit is ideal for a petite traveler like me—no more excess fabric dragging behind me or getting caught underfoot. —Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 27 May 2026

There’s the grand living room with another side of that fireplace blocked in by plush sofas and the adjacent dining room with its long table and stone underfoot and calamondin trees catching the light. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for underfoot

• occiput
• tenderfoot
• afoot
• barefoot
• bigfoot
• blackfoot
• caput
• clubfoot
• cocksfoot
• crowfoot
• forefoot
• input

Kids Definition

underfoot

adverb

un·​der·​foot -ˈfu̇t 

1

: under the feet

flowers trampled underfoot

2

: close about one's feet : in the way

a puppy always underfoot