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
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
David Szondy, New Atlas, 13 Mar. 2025
The ground was thin, with clods of turf washed away by recent rain, and the dark soil beneath had pushed its way to the surface once again.
—Hazlitt, 12 Mar. 2025
Aubrey Bailey, Pt, Dpt, Cht, Verywell Health, 14 Mar. 2025
Saudi Press Agency/AP/File His ace lies beneath the Saudi desert: the largest oil reserves in the Middle East.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for beneath
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.
Adverb
Its purpose is to peel back the 6.5-million-cubic-mile (27-million-km³) ice cap to reveal the bedrock beneath.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 13 Mar. 2025
The ground was thin, with clods of turf washed away by recent rain, and the dark soil beneath had pushed its way to the surface once again.
—Hazlitt, 12 Mar. 2025
Preposition
Bend your elbows and rest your forearms on the ground with your hands beneath your shoulders.
—Aubrey Bailey, Pt, Dpt, Cht, Verywell Health, 14 Mar. 2025
Saudi Press Agency/AP/File His ace lies beneath the Saudi desert: the largest oil reserves in the Middle East.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for beneath
Cite this Entry
“Beneath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beneath. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share