underground
adjective · adverb · noun · verb
Simple meaning
Below the ground.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
uhndergrowndSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈʌndɚɡɹaʊnd
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
not comparable
Below the ground; below the surface of the Earth.
figurative
Hidden, furtive, secretive.
adverb
Below the ground.
noun
with definite article
A movement or organisation of people who resist political convention.
verb
To route electricity distribution cables underground.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A2 · Elementary (estimated)
- Frequency
- Common
- Typical Use
- General English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: (not comparable) Below the ground; below the surface of the Earth.
Used this way, underground is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Nearby words
- belowground , rarer, so it draws attention
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use underground
- “In Paris the subway system is called the `metro' and in London it is called the `tube' or the `underground'”noun
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A system of clandestine printing and distribution of dissident or banned literature.
Secret aid to escaping slaves that was provided by abolitionists in the years before the American Civil War.
Secret aid to escaping slaves that was provided by abolitionists in the years before the American Civil War.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: below the ground
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Knowing “underground” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.