# below

/biˈɫoʊ/ (US) · /bɪlˈəʊ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/below
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Senses

### 1. lower in position

preposition · CEFR A1

in a lower place than something else.

For teachers: at or to a lower level or position than something.

- The sun disappeared below the horizon as evening began.
- From the mountain peak, we could see the tiny village nestled in the valley far below the clouds.

### 2. less than a number

preposition · CEFR A2

lower than a particular amount, level, or temperature.

For teachers: lower than a specific quantity, degree, or limit on a scale.

- The temperature dropped below zero during the night.
- The company reported that profits had fallen significantly below the targets set by the board of directors last year.

### 3. lower in rank

preposition · CEFR B2

lower in importance or rank than someone else.

For teachers: lower in status, rank, or importance within a hierarchy.

- In the army, a captain is below a major.
- The junior researchers are positioned below the senior fellows in the laboratory's administrative structure.

### 4. at a lower level

adverb · CEFR A2

at or to a lower place or floor.

For teachers: at or to a lower level or position; often used to refer to a lower deck on a ship.

- We live on the top floor and the owners live below.
- The captain ordered the crew to go below as the storm intensified and waves began crashing over the deck.

### 5. later in a text

adverb · CEFR B1 · Academic

further down on the same page or later in a document.

For teachers: further down in a written document or on a printed page.

- Please see the table below for more details about the prices.
- The specific methodology used for the data collection is described in detail in the section provided below.

## Examples

- The cat is sleeping on the shelf below the books.
- Please read the instructions provided in the paragraph below before you start the exam.
- From the mountain peak, we could see the tiny village nestled in the valley far below, partially obscured by a thin layer of morning mist.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The ball is below of the table." but "The ball is below the table." — Unlike 'in front of' or 'on top of', 'below' is a simple preposition and does not take 'of'.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used to indicate position relative to a surface or a point on a vertical scale.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.