underneath

1 of 2

preposition

un·​der·​neath ˌən-dər-ˈnēth 

1

a

: directly beneath

write the date underneath the address

b

: close under especially so as to be hidden

treachery lying underneath a mask of friendliness

wore a swimsuit underneath his slacks

2

: under subjection to

underneath

2 of 2

adverb

1

: under or below an object or a surface : beneath

2

: on the lower side

underneath adjective

Synonyms of underneath

Adverb

• beneath
• under
• below

Examples of underneath in a Sentence

Preposition

He hid the envelope underneath his coat.

She slipped a note underneath the door.

The ball rolled underneath the car.

He lives in the apartment underneath mine.

There was gum stuck underneath the table.

Underneath her calm exterior was a nervous woman with a hot temper.

They actually had a lot in common underneath their obvious differences.

Adverb

He wore a white sweater with a red shirt underneath.

She lifted up the rock and found ants crawling underneath.

The car had rust underneath.

Recent Examples on the Web

Preposition

After a final bow with her dancers, once the lights had already come up, Karol reminded the audience of the silly, lovable person underneath the superstar sheen with one last move. — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026

The chart shows a methodical climb from the mid-$70s last fall, with both the 50-day and 200-day rising underneath it the entire way. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026

Adverb

Why Silicon Matters More In The AI Era For much of the software era, companies could differentiate at the application layer while relying on relatively standardized computing platforms underneath. — Iri Trashanski, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026

That gap is here, in not waiting to see Walker spring wide open and instead quickly targeting Kelce, who had a defender both underneath and over the top. — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 17 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Preposition

Middle English undernethe, preposition & adverb, from Old English underneothan, from under + neothan below — more at beneath

First Known Use

Preposition

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing underneath

• the underneath
• underneath it all

Rhymes for underneath

• beneath
• bequeath
• sheath
• teeth
• wreath

Kids Definition

underneath

1 of 2 preposition

un·​der·​neath ˌən-dər-ˈnēth 

1

: right under

wore their bathing suits underneath their clothes

2

: under the control of

underneath

2 of 2 adverb

1

: under or below an object or an outside part

soaked through the jacket to the shirt underneath

2

: on the lower side

a pot blackened underneath