1
: in or to a lower position : below
the mountains and the towns beneath
2
: directly under : underneath
Look at the illustration and read what is beneath.
1
a
: in or to a lower position than : below
beneath the surface
b
: directly under
the ground beneath her feet
c
: at the foot of
a camp beneath a hill
2
: not suitable to the rank of : unworthy of
a job that is beneath his dignity
3
: under the control, pressure, or influence of
the chair sagged beneath his weight
4
: concealed by : under the guise of
a warm heart beneath a gruff manner
Synonyms
Adverb
Preposition
Examples of beneath in a Sentence
Adverb
the mountains and the towns beneath
the sky above and the earth beneath
an awning with chairs and tables beneath
The ground beneath is covered with flowers.
Preposition
the sky above us and the earth beneath us
just beneath the surface of the water
The painting is hanging on the wall with a plaque beneath it.
We had a picnic beneath a large tree.
The paper was hidden beneath a pile of books.
She wore a sweater beneath her coat.
Recent Examples on the Web
Craig Merrett, Discover Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024
Like the butterfly itself, the style features shorter, face-framing layers around the face (like the butterfly’s top wings) and then longer layers beneath, like the lower wings.
—Hannah Coates, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for beneath 
Adverb
Or to look at it another way, air travels faster over the top of the airfoil than beneath.
—Craig Merrett, Discover Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024
Like the butterfly itself, the style features shorter, face-framing layers around the face (like the butterfly’s top wings) and then longer layers beneath, like the lower wings.
—Hannah Coates, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for beneath
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beneath.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near beneath
Cite this Entry
“Beneath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beneath. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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