beneath

[ bih-neeth, -neeth ]

adverb

1. below; in or to a lower place, position, state, or the like.

   Antonyms: above

2. underneath:

   heaven above and the earth beneath.

preposition

1. below; under:

   beneath the same roof.

2. farther down than; underneath; lower in place than:

   The first drawer beneath the top one.

3. lower down on a slope than:

   beneath the crest of a hill.

4. inferior or less important, as in position, rank, or power:

   A captain is beneath a major.

5. unworthy of; below the level or dignity of:

   to regard others as beneath one; behavior that was beneath contempt.

beneath

/ bɪˈniːθ /

preposition

1. below, esp if covered, protected, or obscured by
2. not as great or good as would be demanded by

   beneath his dignity

adverb

1. below; underneath

Word History and Origins

Origin of beneath¹

before 900; Middle English benethe, Old English beneothan, equivalent to be- be- + neothan below, akin to Old High German nidana. See nether

Word History and Origins

Origin of beneath¹

Old English beneothan , from be- + neothan low; see nether

Synonym Study

See below.

Example Sentences

Across the country, fear and tension about environmental threats were boiling beneath the surface.

From Salon

In the evening, the Israeli military declared that it had “dismantled a majority of Hezbollah’s weapons storage and missile manufacturing facilities” that had been “systematically concealed beneath civilian buildings” in Dahieh.

From BBC

For weeks, an elderly woman complained to her family about the strange knocking sounds coming from beneath her El Sereno home late at night.

From Los Angeles Times

Indeed, Jefferson deemed the African-American poet Phillis Wheatley’s work “beneath the dignity of criticism” and asserted that Black astronomer Benjamin Banneker possessed only “a mind of very common stature.”

From Salon

Surely, the grainy image had to be Amelia Earhart’s long-lost plane, 16,000 feet beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean.

From Los Angeles Times

More About Beneath

What is a basic definition of beneath?

Beneath is a preposition that means below or under. Beneath can also describe something that is unworthy of someone. Less commonly, beneath is used as an adverb to mean below or underneath.

If something is positioned beneath something else, it is under or below it. Beneath is not used as often as words such as below or under. Beneath is most often used when describing a location underground or underneath a surface. In a similar sense, beneath can mean something is lower or farther down than something else.

• Real-life examples: You can stand beneath an umbrella to keep the rain off you. The G key is beneath the T key on a typical QWERTY keyboard.
• Used in a sentence: The pirate treasure was buried in the sand beneath two palm trees.

Beneath can also describe something that is considered unworthy of someone or their dignity.

• Used in a sentence: My rich aunt thinks that shopping at a grocery store is beneath her.

Beneath can also be used as an adverb to describe something as happening below or underneath something.

• Used in a sentence: The dojo master sat on the upper balcony and watched his students training beneath. 

Where does beneath come from?

The first records of beneath come from before 900. It ultimately comes from the Old English beneothan.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for beneath?

• below
• under
• underneath
• lesser
• unworthy of

What are some words that often get used in discussing beneath?

• low
• ground
• feet
• inferior

How is beneath used in real life?

Beneath is not used as often as other prepositions. It is used to mean “below” or “under.”

I've discovered that beneath my house there's seams of precious metals. I'm making plans to exploit them industrially for huge profits. It's a potential gold mine.

— Kieron Gillen (@kierongillen) June 26, 2018

Hidden beneath the escalating crisis of opioid-overdose deaths in the U.S. lies another danger: the increasing spread of hepatitis C virus associated with injection-opioid use.

— NEJM (@NEJM) March 29, 2018

I lost my dear mother Ada Sharpton, 5 years ago today. She was and is the wind beneath my wings. If your mother is alive, show her love.

— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) March 22, 2017

Try using beneath!

Is beneath used correctly in the following sentence?

I bent down to see if I left my suitcase beneath the table.