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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Recent Examples of subsurface
Evaluation protocols of subsurface measurements and training of all rig site personnel have improved the drilling economics of this geothermal project.
—
Ian Palmer, Forbes, 19 May 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
So Marco Mastrogiuseppe, a researcher on the Cassini team who had used instruments like RADAR to map subsurface water on Mars, decided to try something.
—Liz Kruesi, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2015
See All Example Sentences for subsurface
Ian Palmer, Forbes, 19 May 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
So Marco Mastrogiuseppe, a researcher on the Cassini team who had used instruments like RADAR to map subsurface water on Mars, decided to try something.
—Liz Kruesi, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2015
See All Example Sentences for subsurface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subsurface
Adjective
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The request for additional money was made after underground utility and other site placement needs were identified while designing a new floor plan.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
7 Jan. 2026
-
As Season 2 gets underway, commuters on an underground train are taken hostage, and authorities scramble to save hundreds of lives.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The utility has a subterranean network of some 4,600 miles of pipes under the city, including significant stretches of original cast and ductile iron — some dating back to the 1800s — which pose a risk of gas leaks that could lead to an explosion.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
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Of course, the collective memory of the city, and its residents, can take irregular, even subterranean, forms.—
Matthew Specktor,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subsurface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subsurface. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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