Below — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adverb preposition noun adjective /bi-ˈlō/ be·low

Meaning & Definition of Below

Below (adverb)

  1. in or to a lower place
  2. on earth
  3. in or to Hades or hell

Below (preposition)

  1. lower in place, rank, or value than, under
  2. down river from
  3. south of

Below (noun)

  1. something that is below

Below (adjective)

  1. written or discussed lower on the same page or on a following page

Below (preposition) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. in a lower position than

    "for the photo she sat below everyone else, on the floor actually"

    similar: beneath, neath (dialect), under
    related: underneath
    opposite: above, over

  2. subsequent to in time or order

    "that ranks a little below a root canal on my list of things I'd want to experience"

    similar: after, après, behind, following, next to, past
    related: since
    opposite: afore (chiefly dialect), ahead of, before, ere, of, previous to, prior to, to
    near: toward

Below (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. in or to a lower place

    "the skipper climbed below to fix the engine"

    similar: beneath, under, underneath
    related: beside, near, nearby
    opposite: up
    near: aloft, overhead

  2. toward or in a lower position

    "when rock climbing I just know that if I look below, I'll become paralyzed with fear"

    similar: down, downward, over
    related: facedown, low, downgrade, downhill, downstairs
    opposite: up, upward, upwardly
    near: aloft

Below (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in lower, under

    similar: lower, low-grade, lowly, nether, under, bottom, bottommost, low, lowermost, nethermost, rock-bottom, undermost, lowered, low-lying, sunken
    opposite: highest, loftiest, top, topmost, upmost, uppermost, higher, loftier, upper, elevated, escalated, heightened, jacked (up), lifted, raised, uplifted, upraised

Related Entry: Below par (phrase)

Below par is a different word from Below. The synonyms below are for below par, not for below.

  1. falling short of a standard

    "They hired their child a tutor after learning that his performance in language arts was below par."

    similar: bad, bastard, bush, bush-league, crummy, deficient, dissatisfactory, ill, inferior, lame, lousy, off, paltry, poor, punk, sour, suboptimal, subpar, substandard, unacceptable, unsatisfactory, wack (slang), wanting, wretched, wrong, from hunger
    related: abysmal, atrocious, awful, bitchin' (slang), brutal, damnable, deplorable, detestable, disastrous, dreadful, execrable, gnarly (slang), horrendous, horrible, pathetic, stinky, sucky (slang), terrible, unspeakable, defective, faulty, flawed, egregious, flagrant, gross, bum, cheesy, coarse, common, crappy (slang), cut-rate, junky, lesser, low-grade, low-rent, mediocre, miserable, reprehensible, rotten, rubbishy, second-rate, shoddy, sleazy, trashy, abominable, odious, vile, useless, valueless, worthless, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, meager, mean, miserly, scanty, shabby, short, skimp, skimpy, spare, stingy, miscreant, scurrilous, villainous, counterfeit, fake, phony, sham
    opposite: acceptable, adequate, all right, decent, fine, OK, passable, respectable, satisfactory, standard, tolerable
    near: classic, classical, A1, bang-up, banner, boss (slang), capital, choice, crackerjack, dandy, divine, excellent, exceptional, fabulous, fine, first-class, first-rate, grand, great, groovy, heavenly, high-test, jim-dandy, keen, marvelous, mean, neat, nifty, noble, par excellence, perfect, premium, prime, sensational, slick, splendid, stellar, sterling, superb, superior, superlative, supernal, swell, terrific, tip-top, top, top-notch, unsurpassed, wonderful, better, fancy, high-grade, special, sufficient, average, borderline, fair, mediocre, middling, minimal, so-so, unexceptional, suitable, useful, worthy, gratifying, satisfying

Related Entry: Below the belt (phrase)

Below the belt is a different word from Below. The synonyms below are for below the belt, not for below.

  1. not being in accordance with the rules or standards of what is fair in sport

    "That mean joke really hit below the belt."

    similar: dirty, foul, illegal, nasty, unfair, unsportsmanlike
    related: dishonorable, shabby, shameful, ignoble, low, mean, ungentlemanly, immoral, rotten, unchivalrous, unethical, unjust, unprincipled, unrighteous, unscrupulous
    opposite: clean, fair, legal, sportsmanlike, sportsmanly
    near: just, law-abiding, ethical, moral, principled, righteous, scrupulous, honorable, irreproachable, unimpeachable

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Below

The most common words with a similar meaning to Below:

Dialect: neath
beneath, under, after, après, behind, following, next to, past, underneath, down, downward, over, lower, low-grade, lowly, nether, bottom, bottommost, low, lowermost, nethermost, rock-bottom, undermost, lowered, low-lying, sunken

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Below

Words with the opposite meaning of Below:

above, over, afore, ahead of, before, ere, of, previous to, prior to, to, up, upward, upwardly, highest, loftiest, top, topmost, upmost, uppermost, higher, loftier, upper, elevated, escalated, heightened, jacked (up), lifted, raised, uplifted, upraised

Related Words for Below

since, beside, near, nearby, facedown, downgrade, downhill, downstairs

Near Antonyms of Below

toward, aloft, overhead

Origin & Etymology of Below

Middle English bilooghe, from bi by + looghe low, adjective

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Below

Words & Phrases Containing Below

below the belt, below par, below standard, from below

Frequently Asked Questions about Below

What does "Below" mean?

"Below" means in or to a lower place. As an an adverb, a preposition, a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: in or to a lower place. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Below"?

Other words for "Below" include beneath, neath, under, after, après, behind, following and next to. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Below" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Below"?

There are 35 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Below". Common alternatives include beneath, neath, under, after, après, behind, following, next to, past and underneath.

What is the opposite of "Below"?

Antonyms of "Below" include above, over, afore, ahead of, before, ere, of and previous to. Near antonyms include toward, aloft and overhead.

How do you use "Below" in a sentence?

Examples of "Below" in a sentence: "for the photo she sat below everyone else, on the floor actually"; "that ranks a little below a root canal on my list of things I'd want to experience"; "the skipper climbed below to fix the engine".

Is "Below" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Below" can be used as an adverb, a preposition, a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Below" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Below" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Below"?

"Below" is pronounced /bi-ˈlō/ and divided into syllables as be·low.