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
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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
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Recent Examples of underlying
Simon Akam, Vanity Fair, 2 Apr. 2026
When Capital Can Think For decades, governments taxed labor more heavily than capital because the underlying assumption was that capital investment would expand jobs, wages and broader prosperity.
—Ravi Kumar S, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Courtney Corbello, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
The other is a patchy, unpersuasive psychodrama about the underlying motivations and years-later ramifications of an unspeakable act—or, in this case, an unrealized plan to commit an unspeakable act.
—Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Adjective
The underlying decision was made by Gaston Glock in 2022.
—Simon Akam, Vanity Fair, 2 Apr. 2026
When Capital Can Think For decades, governments taxed labor more heavily than capital because the underlying assumption was that capital investment would expand jobs, wages and broader prosperity.
—Ravi Kumar S, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
But labels do not change the underlying reality.
—Courtney Corbello, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
The other is a patchy, unpersuasive psychodrama about the underlying motivations and years-later ramifications of an unspeakable act—or, in this case, an unrealized plan to commit an unspeakable act.
—Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlying
Adjective
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So, while the dutiful reader is still turning over basic questions about the nature of witchcraft, the girls are already hurtling up the stairs and out of the basement, and Lucie is crossing paths with Isabelle, a hostile neighbor.—
Kristen Roupenian,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Accessibility Staff are trained in basic access awareness, which encourages the use of the social model of disability.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The United States Powered Paragliding Association and Experimental Aircraft Association have written letters supporting the ultralight pilots in their fight against the county airport, as cited in the documents under review for the FAA’s upcoming decision.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2026
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Curators pop up in famous artists’ biographies all the time, usually as handmaidens to the creator’s genius, opening a door to a gallery here or supporting a grant application there.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Xander Bogaerts lined out to left field, but Fermin saved the effort by grounding a double down the left field line to score Andujar.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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The scent—redolent of cedarwood, sandalwood, pomegranate, and frankincense—sets a calm, grounding tone for any visit.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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By the late 1950s, Houdry had invented a rudimentary catalytic converter.—
Ann E. Carlson,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
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The crash occurred at Tempe in northern Greece after a passenger train was placed on the wrong track, into the path of an oncoming freight train — an astonishing lapse on a rudimentary rail network.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Once soil health improves, many gardeners find that digging individual planting holes is sufficient for establishing crops.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
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Instead, Angine de Poitrine are more like Meshuggah or Dawn of Midi, establishing a meter and then creating rhythmic illusions using creative bursts of syncopation.—
Christopher R. Weingarten,
Pitchfork,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Following that thread, many nonprofits have excellent volunteer training programs for everything from crisis phone counseling to elementary inventory management.—
Amy Lindgren,
Twin Cities,
4 Apr. 2026
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In the past 27 years, McCall has also served as a high school administrator, elementary principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent.—
Carole Carlson,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The attorney general is obsessed with the idea that laws underpinning equal treatment for groups that have been historically discriminated against amount to discrimination against white men, and are therefore unconstitutional.—
Howard L. Simon,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2026
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China is the primary origin of precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl, a highly potent opioid underpinning a deadly drug epidemic in the United States.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Larkin found that Muslim viewers in Kano reinterpreted Bollywood films through an Islamic moral lens, reading their narratives as reinforcing local values of propriety and ethical conduct.—
Gareth Barkin,
The Conversation,
2 Apr. 2026
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The video includes scenes from across the actress’s career as well as glimpses of her personal life, reinforcing her status as one of Hollywood’s most recognizable figures.—
Claire Dodds,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underlying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlying. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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