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

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.
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subsurface
Adjective
  • Oulonger 12-Pack Solar Landscape Lights Outdoor lighting that requires digging and underground wiring is so not worth the time and effort.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The film, which premiered at the New York Film Festival, explores youth, class and identity through the lens of Medellín’s underground music scene.
    Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Unable to plausibly explain to the authorities what happened — or why she’s covered in her friends’ blood — Sarah is forced back to the subterranean depths to help locate her five missing companions.
    Caitlin White, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
  • While a few worlds in the Milky Way are believed to have liquid water hiding beneath a frozen surface, Enceladus isn't quite as secretive about its subterranean ocean.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Subsurface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subsurface. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.

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