as in basic
of or relating to the simplest facts or theories of a subject
the underlying differences between democracy and dictatorship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in supporting
to lie underneath
A layer of rock underlies the topsoil.
Related Words
2
as in grounding
to form the basis or foundation of (something, such as an idea)
The assumption that underlies their argument is faulty.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of underlying
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
17 June 2026
The way a child constructs and engages with the scene can help the therapist explore underlying emotions and unconscious themes.
—
Hannah Silverman,
Parents,
17 June 2026
Paul Adepoju,
Scientific American,
14 June 2026
Large randomized trials testing specific food protocols don’t yet exist, but the hormonal physiology underlying the general framework is well documented.
—
Allison Palmer
updated June 13,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Adjective
The auto sector's transition is achievable in part because many of the underlying skills of employees are highly transferable, according to experts.
—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
17 June 2026
The way a child constructs and engages with the scene can help the therapist explore underlying emotions and unconscious themes.
—
Hannah Silverman,
Parents,
17 June 2026
Verb
The advantage of mRNA is that the underlying platform can remain largely the same while researchers change the genetic sequence encoded by the vaccine.
—
Paul Adepoju,
Scientific American,
14 June 2026
Large randomized trials testing specific food protocols don’t yet exist, but the hormonal physiology underlying the general framework is well documented.
—
Allison Palmer
updated June 13,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlying
Adjective
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Riccobono said a few basic tips can help make those interactions as smooth as possible.
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Sentience is defined as the basic capacity to feel and to experience sensations.
Verb
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All proceeds to the sell-out show, which was simulcast on ESPN, benefited the Garden of Dreams Foundation, the MSG non-profit supporting children in need.
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Infantry attempting to move along the front, vehicle convoys transporting supplies, command posts coordinating operations, and artillery units supporting assaults are increasingly vulnerable to Ukrainian drone operators who can identify and strike targets with unprecedented speed and precision.
Verb
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Center fielder Jakob Marsee put the Marlins ahead with an RBI single before second baseman Xavier Edwards drove in another run while grounding into a double play.
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In a recent interview, Jenny Bates Heaton, new Tedx speaker and a former Fortune 500 organizational development executive, shared how grounding individual and systemic decisions in authentic values can revolutionize the corporate ecosystem.
Adjective
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Many are rudimentary and low-stakes, but the meaningful ones are still buried within the total volume.
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But before long, professors complained that incoming freshmen lacked even rudimentary math skills.
Verb
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But the game has changed, Triolo said, now that policymakers are more wary about an economy weighed down by lackluster domestic demand, a sluggish job market, and eager for private tech companies to boost investment in computing infrastructure underpinning the country's AI ambitions.
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Co-stars include Aaron Paul and Bryce Dallas Howard in the story of two fraudulent paranormal investigators who are forced to face real ghosts and the lies underpinning their business.
Verb
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Onboard mechanical systems convert the kinetic movement of waves into a steady supply of electricity, establishing a continuous power source that functions independently of weather-dependent terrestrial renewables like solar or wind.
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Worthington spent 14 seasons in the major leagues and appeared in 602 games, establishing himself as one of the premier relief pitchers of his era.
Adjective
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Speaking of immersive, MacKay and Turner only acquired an elementary grasp of the mechanics of fishing, but that’s by design.
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The lawsuit cited the facility's proximity to elementary and middle schools and residential neighborhoods.
Verb
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The Haitian Bridge Alliance, a rights group that advocates for Haitians immigrants, urged the Supreme Court to reject the government’s ask to end TPS and affirm lower court’s rulings upholding the protections.
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Almost every line feels like a dare to consider a deeper meaning than the mad realities of the gold rush and upholding a dying man’s wish.
Cite this Entry
“Underlying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlying. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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