as in underground
being, situated, or operating beneath the surface of the earth
a sandy wasteland that gave little hint of its subsurface wealth
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of subsurface
The team is set to land near the lunar south pole because previous evidence suggests that the area may contain subsurface water ice, per Gizmodo.
—
Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Apr. 2022
Shallow pools of subsurface water froze and fractured the surface again and again.
—Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 22 Apr. 2022
This is an important scientific mission tasked with searching for ice at the south pole and using a one-meter drill to prospect for subsurface samples.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 20 Apr. 2022
In Greenland, the ridges formed when shallow pools of subsurface water froze, thawed and refroze, fracturing the surface over time, the Guardian reports.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Apr. 2022
See All Example Sentences for subsurface
Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Apr. 2022
Shallow pools of subsurface water froze and fractured the surface again and again.
—Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 22 Apr. 2022
This is an important scientific mission tasked with searching for ice at the south pole and using a one-meter drill to prospect for subsurface samples.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 20 Apr. 2022
In Greenland, the ridges formed when shallow pools of subsurface water froze, thawed and refroze, fracturing the surface over time, the Guardian reports.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Apr. 2022
See All Example Sentences for subsurface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subsurface
Adjective
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Tunneling too close to the river could risk breaching the water table and filling a karst formation, or underground cave — potentially triggering leaks of construction materials into the waterway.—
Stuart Dyos,
Nashville Tennessean,
14 Aug. 2025
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The average build-out cost per mile of fiber for internet service per mile can run as high as $80,000 for underground cable & $40,000 for aerial cable.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Both men spent a lot of time in their respective bunkers during World War II, and those subterranean headquarters spoke volumes about their respective leadership styles.—
Bryce Hoffman,
Forbes.com,
3 Aug. 2025
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While Longfellow Bar made last year’s list, this year Ghost Baby, the subterranean bar in Over-the-Rhine, won the honors.—
Keith Pandolfi,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subsurface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subsurface. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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