as in underground
being, situated, or operating beneath the surface of the earth
a subterranean bunker that supposedly could withstand even an atomic blast
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Recent Examples of subterranean
Formosan termites are subterranean termites that form large, highly destructive colonies in the South.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026
Guests went diving under tables as the scene unfolded and some reported hearing shots outside the vast subterranean ballroom in the Washington Hilton where the event was being held.
—Collin Binkley, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Endangered amphibians in California include the desert slender salamander, a subterranean amphibian found in just two spots in Riverside County.
—Sarah Linn, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Take 25 Hours, in Long Island City, for example, which is freighted with a depressing ambience that is equal parts chemistry lab and subterranean grotto.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subterranean
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026
Guests went diving under tables as the scene unfolded and some reported hearing shots outside the vast subterranean ballroom in the Washington Hilton where the event was being held.
—Collin Binkley, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Endangered amphibians in California include the desert slender salamander, a subterranean amphibian found in just two spots in Riverside County.
—Sarah Linn, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Take 25 Hours, in Long Island City, for example, which is freighted with a depressing ambience that is equal parts chemistry lab and subterranean grotto.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subterranean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subterranean
underground
Adjective
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The new investment and hiring at Haile are part of a long-term plan to transition between underground and open pit mining.—
John Marks,
Charlotte Observer,
1 May 2026
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Spring is when ants finally begin to move from their underground colonies up to the surface.—
Charlotte Maracina,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subterranean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subterranean. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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