underneath it all

idiom

: in reality : actually
He might seem unkind, but underneath it all, he's a very caring person.

Examples of underneath it all in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But underneath it all, there was budding excitement in what the franchise was building, with young players like Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther adding to a veteran core that includes him, Nick Schmaltz and captain Clayton Keller. Joe Smith, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 Mature rails should be simple (almost boring) at the surface, but elegant underneath it all. Annabelle Huang, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025 When you’re getting dressed for the day, few things are as irritating as putting together the perfect outfit only for the bra to dig into your skin underneath it all. Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2025 This development introduces the film’s most haunting theme: that even the clashing elements of our society — warring ideological factions, citizens of different racial backgrounds locked in antagonism — are actually, underneath it all, deeply and inseparably intertwined. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Sep. 2025 But underneath it all there’s always a sense of emotion and vulnerability, and that, for me, wins every time. Benjamin Vanhoose, People.com, 14 July 2025 Yet, underneath it all, three leadership communication strategies could instantly resolve the conflict. Chris Westfall, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025 What remains is a season of TV where people wear scrubs and yell about intubations and central lines, and underneath it all there’s a story about one woman’s unnecessary, unfounded anxiety. Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 3 Apr. 2025 That version is monumental — but this one reminds you that one of Tweedy’s best-ever anthems of ambiguous ache was underneath it all along. 2. Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 12 Feb. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Underneath it all.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underneath%20it%20all. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!