underlie

verb

un·​der·​lie ˌən-dər-ˈlī 

underlay ˌən-dər-ˈlā  ; underlain ˌən-dər-ˈlān  ; underlying ˌən-dər-ˈlī-iŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to lie or be situated under

2

: to be at the basis of : form the foundation of : support

ideas underlying the revolution

3

: to exist as a claim or security superior and prior to (another)

4

archaic : to be subject or amenable to

Examples of underlie in a Sentence

A tile floor underlies the rug.

The river is underlain by limestone.

We discussed the principles that underlay their methods.

A theme of revenge underlies much of her writing.

Recent Examples on the Web

Its underlying model processed incoming and outgoing audio directly. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Nov. 2026

Reflecting on this structural evolution, Harris explained that while explainer journalism remains deeply rooted in his identity, his underlying creative goals demanded a broader perspective. — Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026

Those episodes of heavy rainfall have periodically replenished Lake Lanier and masked the severity of the underlying cumulative rainfall deficit. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026

Unilever, with business driven by a strong performance in beauty and personal care, upped its forecast, projecting at least 3 percent underlying volume growth for 2026 and underlying sales growth in the second half of around 5 percent. — Footwear News, 10 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Rhymes for underlie

• apply
• awry
• belie
• bely
• bigeye
• bonsai
• buckeye
• comply
• coxae
• decry
• defy
• deny

Kids Definition

underlie

verb

un·​der·​lie ˌən-dər-ˈlī 

underlay -ˈlā  ; underlain -ˈlān  ; underlying -ˈlī-iŋ 

1

: to lie or be located under

2

: to form the foundation of : support

ideas underlying the revolt