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
That positioning underpins much of the vessel’s design and operational thinking, from its flexible accommodations to the onboard programming.
—
Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2026
The war highlights the sprawling global supply chains that underpin South Korea’s semiconductor industry, which has seen a surge in global demand for its chips amid the AI boom.
—ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
Nvidia’s chips dominate the power-intensive workload of training the large language models that underpin artificial intelligence.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
The problem is the film just keeps hitting this same note over and over without ever caring to explore the psychology that underpins this.
—Chase Hutchinson, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underpin
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Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2026
The war highlights the sprawling global supply chains that underpin South Korea’s semiconductor industry, which has seen a surge in global demand for its chips amid the AI boom.
—ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
Nvidia’s chips dominate the power-intensive workload of training the large language models that underpin artificial intelligence.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
The problem is the film just keeps hitting this same note over and over without ever caring to explore the psychology that underpins this.
—Chase Hutchinson, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underpin
Cite this Entry
“Underpin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underpin. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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
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