BELOW vs UNDER. 1, => Lower Than: 'Below or Under': The prepositions, 'BELOW' and 'UNDER' can both be used to mean 'LOWER THAN' EXAMPLE: Look in the cupboard below/under the sink. 2 => Not Directly Under: Below. We prefer 'BELOW' when something is not directly under another. EXAMPLE: The climbers stopped 300m below the top of the mountain. A moment later the sun had disappeared below the horizon. 3 => Covered: 'Under' We prefer '#UNDER' when something is covered or hidden by what is over it, and when things are touching. EXAMPLE: I think the cat is under the bed. What are you wearing under your sweater ? The whole village is under water. ( not = ......below water ) 4 => Measurements: 'Below'. #BELOW is used in measurements of temperature and height, and in other cases where we think of a VERTICAL SCALE. EXAMPLE: Temperature is 3 degree 0 below. Parts of Holland are below sea level. The plane came down below the clouds. 5 => Less Than. 'under' We usually use 'UNDER' not 'BELOW' to mean 'LESS THAN' or 'YOUNGER THAN'. EXAMPLE: There were under twenty students in the lecture. Under age employment is not allowed.