under

1 of 3

adverb

un·​der ˈən-dər How to pronounce under (audio)
1
: in or into a position below or beneath something
2
: below or short of some quantity, level, or limit
$10 or under
often used in combination
understaffed
3
: in or into a condition of subjection, subordination, or unconsciousness
put the patient under for surgery
4
: down to defeat, ruin, or death
weaker competitors will be forced under
5
: so as to be covered
buried under by the avalanche

under

2 of 3

preposition

1
: below or beneath so as to be overhung, surmounted, covered, protected, or concealed by
under sunny skies
a soft heart under a stern exterior
under cover of darkness
2
a
: subject to the authority, control, guidance, or instruction of
served under the general
under the terms of the contract
a program that runs under any operating system
b
: receiving or undergoing the action or effect of
under pressure
courage under fire
under the influence of alcohol
the image of a point under a mapping
under oath
3
a
: within the group or designation of
under this heading
b
: having as name or title
traveling under an alias
4
: less or lower than (as in size, amount, or rank)
especially : falling short of a standard or required degree
under the legal age
under par

under

3 of 3

adjective

1
a
: lying or placed below, beneath, or on the ventral side
often used in combination
the ocean's undercurrents
the underside of a car
b
: facing or protruding downward
often used in combination
the undersurface of a leaf
2
: lower in rank or authority : subordinate
often used in combination
the undersecretary of defense
3
: lower than usual, proper, or desired in amount, quality, or degree
often used in combination
undernourished children

Examples of under in a Sentence

Adverb Pull the bed sheets tight then fold the ends under. He turned under his shirt's collar. The whale surfaced briefly then dove under again. The bridge was too low for the ship to sail under. A score of 60 is needed to pass; anything under is failing. They had to put me under for surgery. Preposition They couldn't climb over the wall, so they dug a hole under it. Draw a line under each word you don't know. We sat under a tree and rested a while. I'm wearing a sweater under my jacket. The ball rolled under the car. How long can you hold your breath under water? The cafe is under new management. The army captured three forts while under the general's command. He has been under a lot of pressure at work lately. You will be under anesthesia during the operation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
My mom instructed me to buy a heavy table immediately upon arriving in Los Angeles, since the emergency kit included no furniture to crouch under. Jonah Walters, Longreads, 24 Oct. 2024 Beck cards a 29-30, 13 under, to match Al Geiberger’s second round of the 1977 Memphis Classic. 1992 — Deion Sanders, plays for Atlanta Falcons (NFL) and Braves (Baseball) on the same day. 2009 — Kurt Warner passes for 301 yards in Arizona’s 28-21 win over Houston. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
Preposition
Third Point’s Daniel Loeb believes the odds are rising that former President Donald Trump will win the U.S. presidency this November over Vice President Kamala Harris, and the influential hedge fund manager is increasing positions that would benefit under a Republican administration and Congress. Sean Conlon, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2024 Development on the second film is already under way. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Despite the record quarter one Morningstar analyst marked BNY as an under performer, with a target price of $63.00. Michael Del Castillo, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2024 Judge cites Kelly’s age and senility as reasons to dismiss the prosecution’s request In an under advisement order, Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Thomas Fink granted the defense's motion to dismiss the case with prejudice partly because of Kelly’s age. Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 10 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for under 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'under.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English, adverb & preposition, from Old English; akin to Old High German untar under, Latin inferus situated beneath, lower, infra below, Sanskrit adha

First Known Use

Adverb

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

Preposition

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

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of under was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near under

Cite this Entry

“Under.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/under. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

under

1 of 3 adverb
un·​der ˈən-dər How to pronounce under (audio)
1
: in or into a position below or beneath something
the duck surfaced, then went under again
2
: below some quantity, level, or average
ten dollars or under
often used in combination
underplayed the part
3
: in or into a losing, lower, or unconscious state or condition
kept my disappointment under
put the patient under for surgery
4
: so as to be covered or hidden
turned under by the plow

under

2 of 3 preposition
un·​der
ˌən-dər,
ˈən-
1
: below or beneath and topped or sheltered by
under sunny skies
under a tree
wearing a sweater under my jacket
2
a
: bound by the authority or guidance of
served under the general
b
: affected or influenced by the action or result of
the disease is under treatment
3
: within the group or division of
under this heading
4
a
: less or lower than (as in size, amount, or rank)
all masses under 90 kilograms
nobody under a colonel
b
: below the required level of
under legal age

under

3 of 3 adjective
un·​der
ˈən-dər
1
a
: lying or placed below
often used in combination
the sea's undercurrents
the underside of a car
b
: facing or bulging downward
often used in combination
the undersurface of a leaf
2
: lower in position or authority : subordinate
often used in combination
the undersecretary of defense
3
: lower than usual, proper, or desired in amount or quality
often used in combination
undernourished children

Medical Definition

under

1 of 3 adverb
un·​der ˈən-dər How to pronounce under (audio)
: in or into a condition of unconsciousness
put the patient under prior to surgery

under

2 of 3 preposition
: receiving or using the action or application of
an operation performed under local anesthesia

under

3 of 3 adjective
: being in an induced state of unconsciousness
given intravenously when the patient is underC. A. Birch

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