preposition

beneath

bih-NEETH

preposition

Directly under or below something.

"The cat was hiding beneath the sofa."

"They found an old coin buried beneath the floorboards."

Lower in rank, status, or dignity than something; unworthy of.

"He acted as if manual work was beneath him."

"She considered gossiping beneath her."

adverb

In a lower position; underneath.

"From the plane, the fields beneath looked like a patchwork quilt."

How to Use Beneath

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA slightly more formal word for "under" or "below" — often used for physical position or to say something is unworthy of someone.

When to use it

More literary or formal than plain "under"; common in writing and speech about dignity ("beneath him") as well as physical space.

Common pairings

beneath the surface beneath contempt beneath one's dignity

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The cat was hiding _____ the sofa.

From Old English bineoþan, formed from be- plus neoþan ("below"), the same root family that gives us "nether."

death neath heath breath sheath wreath bequeath underneath