under
gb/ˈʌndɚ/ us/ˈʌndɚ/
A1
Anglais
~ 1800
Sens
0 sens
preposition
A1
relation
1
in a lower position
Lower than or covered by something.
Schéma d’usage :
under [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'under' with 'below'. 'Below' is often used for measurements or levels, while 'under' is for physical position or being covered by something.
Synonymes
beneath (Slightly more formal or literary, but same physical meaning.)
Antonymes
above (Indicates a higher position instead of a lower one.)
Collocations
under the table
|under the bed
|under the bridge
|under the surface
Thèmes
space
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The cat is hiding under the bed.
- We sat under the tree for shade.
- The boat passed under the bridge.
- She wore a sweater under her coat.
- The keys are under the newspaper.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The ball is under the chair.
- He is under the blanket.
- The shoes are under the table.
- The dog sleeps under the tree.
preposition
B1
relation
2
affected by something
Being in a situation where something affects or controls you.
Schéma d’usage :
under [condition/influence]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may overuse 'under' for all influences; in some cases 'because of' or 'due to' is more natural.
Synonymes
subject to (More formal; used in legal or official contexts.)
Antonymes
free from (Indicates not being affected or controlled by something.)
Collocations
under pressure
|under control
|under the law
|under orders
Thèmes
society
|law
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The company is under investigation.
- She worked well under pressure.
- The troops are under orders to remain still.
- We are under new management now.
- Under the law, you must pay taxes.
Exemples pédagogiques
- He is under stress at work.
- The city is under new rules.
- She is under the teacher’s control.
- They are under attack.
preposition
A2
relation
3
less than a number/amount
Smaller in number, amount, or age than something.
Schéma d’usage :
under [number/amount/age]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use 'below' for amounts; 'below' is possible but less common for age and money.
Synonymes
less than (Direct numerical comparison; interchangeable in many cases.)
Antonymes
over (More than a certain number, amount, or age.)
Collocations
under 18
|under $10
|under 5 minutes
Thèmes
measurement
|statistics
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Children under 12 get in free.
- The repairs cost under $100.
- It took under an hour to finish.
- There were under 50 people at the meeting.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I am under 18 years old.
- This book is under $5.
- We waited under 10 minutes.
- The bag weighs under 2 kilos.
adverb
B1
relation
4
in a lower position/place
In a place lower than something else.
Synonymes
below (Often interchangeable in spatial contexts, but 'below' can be more formal.)
Antonymes
above (In a higher place instead of lower.)
Thèmes
space
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- He dived and swam under.
- The submarine disappeared under quickly.
- She looked under to see what was there.
Exemples pédagogiques
- He went under to get the ring.
- The fish swam under quickly.
- Look under to find it.
adjective
B2
property
5
below standard level
Not as good, big, or strong as expected.
Synonymes
substandard (More formal; often used in official assessments.)
Antonymes
above average (Better than the normal standard.)
Collocations
under strength
|under par
Thèmes
evaluation
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- His performance was under par today.
- The team is under strength this season.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The food was under par.
- Our team is under strength today.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
under
API
GB/ˈʌndɚ/
US/ˈʌndɚ/
Syllabes et accentuation
un - der (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (un)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: under
Famille de mots
Core family
underneath
preposition, adverb A2
underline
verb A2
underwear
noun A2
underground
adjective, adverb A2
underwater
adjective, adverb A2
Related words
Advanced or less common
Expressions
come under fire
1/kˈʌm ˈʌndɚ fˈaɪɚ/
idiom
receive strong criticism
To be criticized strongly by many people.
Exemples
- The minister came under fire for his comments.
- The company came under fire over its safety record.
go under
1/ɡˈoʊ ˈʌndɚ/
phrasal verb
fail financially and close (business)
When a business fails and stops working because it has no money.
Exemples
- Many small shops went under during the recession.
- If we lose this client, we could go under.
under way
1/ˈʌndɚ wˈeɪ/
fixed phrase
started and continuing process
Already started and happening now.
Exemples
- The project is now under way.
- Repairs are under way after the storm.
under control
1/ˈʌndɚ kəntɹˈoʊl/
fixed phrase
successfully managed situation
When a problem or situation is being managed well and is not getting worse.
Exemples
- The police finally got the situation under control.
- The fire is now under control.
- The disease is now under control thanks to vaccination.
- Everything is finally under control after the chaos.
under pressure
1/ˈʌndɚ pɹˈɛʃɚ/
fixed phrase
Experiencing stress from demands
Feeling stress because you have to do something difficult or important.
Exemples
- I work better when I'm under pressure.
- She’s under a lot of pressure before exams.
under pressure
2/ˈʌndɚ pɹˈɛʃɚ/
fixed phrase
experiencing stress or demands
In a situation where you feel stressed because of many demands or problems.
Exemples
- She performs well under pressure.
- I'm really under pressure at work this week.