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undercurrent

noun [C]
 
 
/ˈʌn.dəˌkʌr.ənt/ US  /-dɚˌkɝː-/

Definition

an emotion, belief, or characteristic of a situation that is hidden and usually negative or dangerous but that has some effect: undercurrents of racism/anxiety/violence Beneath the smooth surface of political life, one senses powerful and dangerous undercurrents.Conditions and characteristics
(Definition of undercurrent noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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