undertow
noun
un·der·tow
ˈən-dər-ˌtō 
1
: the current beneath the surface that sets seaward or along the beach when waves are breaking upon the shore
2
: an underlying current, force, or tendency that is in opposition to what is apparent
Examples of undertow in a Sentence
Don't get caught in the undertow.
Recent Examples on the Web
Democratic lawmakers are unnerved about the 81-year-old president’s performance, the campaign strategy, Biden’s trailing poll numbers against Trump in battleground states and the down-ballot undertow Democrats may experience by November.
—
Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 9 July 2024
Their antics may trap you in a cosmic undertow, wherein multiple pressing tasks threaten to drown you.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 25 June 2024
An undertow pulls under the surface, while a rip current flows out, not under.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 24 June 2024
Yet the authoritarian undertow of the past decade or so has been weaker than those that followed the previous waves.
—Sheri Berman, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2022
See all Example Sentences for undertow 
Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 9 July 2024
Their antics may trap you in a cosmic undertow, wherein multiple pressing tasks threaten to drown you.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 25 June 2024
An undertow pulls under the surface, while a rip current flows out, not under.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 24 June 2024
Yet the authoritarian undertow of the past decade or so has been weaker than those that followed the previous waves.
—Sheri Berman, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2022
See all Example Sentences for undertow
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'undertow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near undertow
Cite this Entry
“Undertow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undertow. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
undertow
noun
un·der·tow
ˈən-dər-ˌtō
: a current beneath the surface of the water that moves away from or along the shore while the surface water above it moves toward the shore
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