underlying
adjective
un·der·ly·ing
ˌən-dər-ˈlī-iŋ 
1
a
: lying beneath or below
the underlying rock is shale
b
: basic, fundamental
an investigation of the underlying issues
2
: evident only on close inspection : implicit
3
: anterior and prior in claim
underlying mortgage
4
: of or being present in deep structure
underlying word order
Examples of underlying in a Sentence
the ocean and the underlying rock
the underlying differences between democracy and dictatorship
Recent Examples on the Web
The underlying facts of the case are still to be ruled on, but the partial ruling on Friday was a big win for immigration advocates who had been fighting to shut down the controversial site.
—
Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
The Kansas City Chiefs’ planned $3 billion stadium in Wyandotte County cleared a major hurdle on Friday, when the Kansas Legislature passed a bill creating a sports authority and renewing the underlying incentive program that will finance the megaproject.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
Because the underlying physical infrastructure is fundamentally damaged, the capacity to recover is permanently lost.
—Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
In these wellness communities, there's an underlying sentiment that these massages are a more natural alternative to plastic surgery, helping users reshape their bodies to appear slimmer or more defined.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underlying
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Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
The Kansas City Chiefs’ planned $3 billion stadium in Wyandotte County cleared a major hurdle on Friday, when the Kansas Legislature passed a bill creating a sports authority and renewing the underlying incentive program that will finance the megaproject.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
Because the underlying physical infrastructure is fundamentally damaged, the capacity to recover is permanently lost.
—Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
In these wellness communities, there's an underlying sentiment that these massages are a more natural alternative to plastic surgery, helping users reshape their bodies to appear slimmer or more defined.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Cite this Entry
“Underlying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underlying. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underlying
adjective
un·der·ly·ing
ˌən-dər-ˌlī-iŋ
1
: lying under or below
the underlying rock
Medical Definition
underlying
adjective
un·der·ly·ing
-ˌlī-iŋ
: serving as a basis or cause (as of secondary symptoms)
the underlying brain malformation that caused the hydrocephalus—R. M. Henig
R. M. HenigLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
