Under | Meaning, Part of Speech & Examples
The word under usually indicates that one thing is “below” something else, but we don’t only use it to refer to physical locations.
You can’t build a house like that for under a million dollars.
Under the new rules, you’ll have to leave your phone outside the exam room.
Your application is presently under review, and we will notify you of our decision soon.
Under meaning
Under generally functions as a preposition of place meaning “below,” but the prepositions “under” and “below” are not always interchangeable.
| Context | Examples in a sentence |
|---|---|
| To mean less than |
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| In water and below its surface |
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We often use the preposition “under” rather than “below” when we think of something as hiding, concealing, or covering something else (e.g., “Careful! There could be scorpions under those rocks,” “I found lots of old coins under the floorboards”).
Is under a preposition?
The word under typically functions as a preposition. It is often used as a preposition of place but can also also express a variety of other meanings that go beyond indicating a physical location.
| Meaning | Examples in a sentence |
|---|---|
| To indicate a location of something lower than something else that is covering or hiding it | She found the letter; it was under a pile of books. |
| I was wearing two sweaters under my jacket and was still cold. | |
| It’s dangerous to take shelter under a tree during a thunderstorm. | |
| Slide the key under the door after you’ve locked it. | |
| To indicate a location of something that is lower than something else | There’s space to hang another small picture under that one. |
| He’s written captions to go under the photos. | |
| Located within something and lower than its surface | You can dive down and explore the ruins of an old village under the water. |
| Worms live under the ground. | |
| Less than a number or amount | Can you buy a decent laptop for under $500? |
| The movie we choose should be under two hours. | |
| There was nobody aged under 50 at the concert. | |
| To indicate someone or something that is in a higher hierarchical position. | She served as an advisor under three presidents. |
| After the reorganization, my department will come under the new services division. | |
| To indicate the influence of a particular state or condition | He’s under pressure at work right now. |
| There’s nothing to worry about; it’s all under control. | |
| In the process of | The proposal is still under consideration. |
| According to | Companies will have to keep more detailed records under the new legislation. |
| To indicate a name | She wrote under the alias George Eliot. |
| What name is the table reserved under? | |
| In the category/classification/section | File it under “C” for contracts. |
What part of speech is under?
The part of speech of under is generally a preposition, but if it’s not introducing a noun phrase (i.e., it doesn’t have a prepositional object), then it’s typically categorized as an adverb.
| Under as an adverb | Under as a preposition |
|---|---|
| Push the key under when you’ve locked it. | Push the key under the door. |
| You have to be 18 or under to enter the competition. | You have to be under 19. |
| The captions look better under rather than over. | Put the captions under all of the photos. |
“Under” is an adjective when it means “unconscious due to general anesthesia” (e.g., “For these operations, the patient is normally under for about an hour”).
If “under” forms part of a phrasal verb, then it is typically classified as a particle in modern grammars (e.g., “A lot of businesses went under as a result of the financial crisis”—where “go under” means “fail”).
Frequently asked questions about under
- Is it under the weather or whether?
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The correct expression is under the weather, which is a euphemism for “feeling sick.”
Remember, “weather” refers to the condition of the atmosphere in a certain location, whereas “whether” is a conjunction that expresses doubt or indicates a choice between two options.
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you use “weather” and “whether” correctly.
- What does under no circumstances mean?
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The phrase under no circumstances means “never” or “in no situations” (e.g., “Under no circumstances should fire extinguishers be used to hold open doors”).
You can use QuillBot’s Grammar Checker to help ensure that you’re using the phrase “under no circumstances” correctly in your writing.
- What does under par mean?
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The phrase under par means “disappointing because it is below the expected standard” (e.g., “Although somewhat under par for a movie from this director, it’s still definitely worth seeing).
“Feeling under par” means feeling slightly unwell (e.g., “I was feeling a bit under par this morning, but I’m full of energy now”).
“Under par” is a golfing analogy. In golf, “par” is the number of shots it should take an excellent golfer to complete a particular hole, so it has a meaning similar to “average.”
Have you tried QuillBot’s Grammar Checker? You can use it to help check that you’re using the phrase “under par” correctly in your writing.
