undertow
noun
un·der·tow
ˈən-dər-ˌtō 
1
: the current beneath the surface that sets seaward or along the beach when waves are breaking upon the shore
2
: an underlying current, force, or tendency that is in opposition to what is apparent
Examples of undertow in a Sentence
Don't get caught in the undertow.
Recent Examples on the Web
And yet, there’s another group of women designers who feel the tug of the undertow of something darker, romantic, gothic (as in Mary Shelley, not Siouxsie Sioux, though maybe sometimes her too) and delightfully fragmented and fractured.
—
Mark Holgate, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2024
Their post-hardcore venom sparks with a combination of acidic wit, biting humor and cutthroat frustration that reflects the lives of those caught in the undertow of the American dream.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 4 Sep. 2024
But Misia almost didn’t escape the undertow of Pampinea’s influence.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 27 July 2024
Expensive Air continues in this shorter, punchier vein, but with a darker undertow.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 19 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for undertow 
Mark Holgate, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2024
Their post-hardcore venom sparks with a combination of acidic wit, biting humor and cutthroat frustration that reflects the lives of those caught in the undertow of the American dream.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 4 Sep. 2024
But Misia almost didn’t escape the undertow of Pampinea’s influence.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 27 July 2024
Expensive Air continues in this shorter, punchier vein, but with a darker undertow.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 19 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for undertow
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'undertow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near undertow
Cite this Entry
“Undertow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undertow. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
undertow
noun
un·der·tow
ˈən-dər-ˌtō
: a current beneath the surface of the water that moves away from or along the shore while the surface water above it moves toward the shore
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