Meaning & use
undertow
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A current beneath the surface of the water that pulls away from the shore, often under breaking waves.
Grammar: Usually singular when talking about one current: 'the undertow was strong'. Can be plural in general descriptions: 'dangerous undertows'.
Patterns
- the undertow
- a strong undertow
- caught in an undertow
The lifeguard warned swimmers about the powerful undertow near the pier.
She felt the undertow tugging at her legs as she waded out.
After the storm, the undertow along the beach became dangerously strong.
nouncountablefigurative
A hidden or opposite force that pulls people or events in an unexpected direction.
Grammar: Used figuratively, often with 'of': 'an undertow of sadness'.
Patterns
- an undertow of something
- the undertow of something
There was an undertow of sadness beneath her cheerful words.
The company's success hid an undertow of financial trouble.
He sensed an undertow of anger in the quiet room.
Word forms
| plural | undertows |
|---|
Common combinations
- strong undertow
- The beach had a strong undertow, so we stayed close to the shore.
- dangerous undertow
- Signs warned of a dangerous undertow after the hurricane.
- caught in an undertow
- He was caught in an undertow and had to swim parallel to the beach.
- undertow of emotion
- Her speech had an undertow of emotion that moved the audience.
- pull of the undertow
- The pull of the undertow made it hard to reach the sand.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rip current
- A specific, strong channel of water flowing away from shore; more precise and often used in safety warnings.
- current
- A general word for any flow of water; it does not suggest the hidden, backward pull of an undertow.
- undercurrent
- Similar, but it often describes a hidden feeling or trend rather than a physical sea current.
Word family
- undercurrent noun
- A current below the surface, or a hidden feeling or opinion.
- undertow noun
- The noun itself; no common verb or adjective forms exist.
Commonly confused: undertow or rip tide? undertow or undercurrent?
undertow vs rip tide
Often used interchangeably with 'undertow' in casual speech, but a rip tide is technically a different coastal phenomenon caused by tides.
undertow vs undercurrent
An undercurrent can be physical or emotional; an undertow is usually the strong sea current that pulls away from the beach.
Practice
What does 'undertow' most commonly mean?
Choose one answer.
An undertow is a subsurface current moving away from the beach. The other options describe waves, boats, or wind, which are not the same thing.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “undertow”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.