underpin
verb
un·der·pin
ˌən-dər-ˈpin 
underpinned; underpinning; underpins
1
: support, substantiate
underpin a thesis with evidence
2
: to form part of, strengthen, or replace the foundation of
underpin a structure
underpin a sagging building
Examples of underpin in a Sentence
a wall underpinned by metal beams
the central beliefs that underpin a free society
Recent Examples on the Web
Most browsers are now also underpinned by Chromium, a free and open-source web browser project, which was primarily developed and maintained by Google.
—
Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
But Putin has not shifted from the hard-line demands underpinning his war.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 22 Oct. 2025
Medicare and Medicaid similarly underpin health insurance availability for seniors, low-income people, and many vulnerable groups.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
The critical role underpins the nation’s defense as the ultimate security guarantee, and at least one of the boats is deployed in an unknown location at sea every minute of every day, according to a press release.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underpin
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
But Putin has not shifted from the hard-line demands underpinning his war.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 22 Oct. 2025
Medicare and Medicaid similarly underpin health insurance availability for seniors, low-income people, and many vulnerable groups.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
The critical role underpins the nation’s defense as the ultimate security guarantee, and at least one of the boats is deployed in an unknown location at sea every minute of every day, according to a press release.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underpin
Cite this Entry
“Underpin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underpin. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underpin
verb
un·der·pin
-ˈpin
1
: to give support to
underpin an argument with evidence
2
: to form part of, strengthen, or replace the foundation of
underpin a structure
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share