underpins

verb

present tense third-person singular of underpin
as in sustains
to hold up or serve as a foundation for the central beliefs that underpin a free society

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of underpins Yann LeCun won the 2018 Turing Award—computer science’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize—along with fellow AI researchers Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio for their work on deep learning, the neural network technology that underpins today’s AI boom. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026 Yet the structural refrain that underpins this wonder of a book always returns to love. — Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026 Global demand for many of the minerals has soared in recent years due to their use in the energy transition or digital infrastructure that underpins AI. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 25 Sep. 2026 Access to exceptional roughs underpins the entire collection. — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026 It's based on the company's MQB platform, which underpins the T-Cross subcompact SUV and the Polo hatchback. — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026 Bouaddi’s ability to dribble calmly through pressure underpins a more general swagger to his game. — David Ornstein, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026 Those who approach privacy as a strategic basis rather than an afterthought are the greatest enterprises and communities that capitalize on AI’s transformational promise while maintaining the digital trust that underpins modern life. — Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Known as Eurasianism, this conviction in the fundamental difference between Russia and the West at least partly underpins the Kremlin’s ruling ideology today. — Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underpins
  1. sustains
  2. supports
  3. carries
  4. bolsters
  5. upholds
Verb
  • Her work reflects a deep commitment to standing with the people whose labor sustains communities across California.
    — The Sacramento Bee staff, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The lake creates a temperate microclimate that sustains one of the country’s most productive fruit-growing regions—and makes this the best possible place to forget a packed lunch.
    — Mike Norton, Midwest Living, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of sustains
Verb
  • The other half came from the Fund for Policy Reform, a nonprofit that’s part of Soros’ Open Society Foundations, which supports progressive organizations and whose board is chaired by his son, Alex Soros.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Pearlman supports campus efforts to create foundations for scholarships and lobbying Sacramento and Washington to keep funding, including student aid, at necessary levels.
    — Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of supports
Verb
  • Duchien finished with 249 yards on 23-for-32 passing and 92 yards on 14 carries.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Big plays boosted Roberts’ rushing totals to 211 yards on 24 carries with three TDs.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of carries
Verb
  • Some requests were for DeepSeek’s technology, a finding that bolsters assertions from Congress that the company is in bed with the CCP’s military and spying apparatus.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Self-awareness bolsters leadership while self-surveillance nearly always undermines it.
    — Carol Geffner, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of bolsters
Verb
  • In February, President Pamela Whitten and the board of trustees supported and adopted the Chicago Principles, a set of guidelines regarding how the university upholds its free speech environment.
    — Cate Charron, IndyStar, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The letter was also sent to Harry and Meghan’s team and upholds Queen Elizabeth’s wishes when Harry and Meghan stepped back from their royal roles in 2020.
    — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of upholds

Browse Nearby Words

underpinnings
underpins
underplay
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Cite this Entry

“Underpins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underpins. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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