as in sustains
to hold up or serve as a foundation for
the central beliefs that underpin a free society
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Recent Examples of underpins
Pitches that just barely graze the rigid outer edge of the strike zone prompted questions about how infinitesimally accurate the HawkEye technology that underpins ABS can be.
—
Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
The nod to Star Wars is intentional, and the landscape does seem like a new frontier—representing not just Meta’s stratospheric AI ambitions, but the financial, energy-hungry reality of building the infrastructure that underpins the AI boom.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
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 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
At the federal level, legal foundations supporting vehicle emissions standards — including the endangerment finding that underpins limits on harmful tailpipe pollution — are being challenged.
—Bob Keefe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Green thinking underpins every practice at Hotel Maria - from the energy-efficient lighting right through to recycling programs.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 2026
The relative equality of wellbeing underpins a sense of security and trust.
—Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
The platform that underpins the Afeela 1 is identical to the one intended for the 0 Series.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 12 Mar. 2026
Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
The nod to Star Wars is intentional, and the landscape does seem like a new frontier—representing not just Meta’s stratospheric AI ambitions, but the financial, energy-hungry reality of building the infrastructure that underpins the AI boom.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
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 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
At the federal level, legal foundations supporting vehicle emissions standards — including the endangerment finding that underpins limits on harmful tailpipe pollution — are being challenged.
—Bob Keefe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Green thinking underpins every practice at Hotel Maria - from the energy-efficient lighting right through to recycling programs.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 2026
The relative equality of wellbeing underpins a sense of security and trust.
—Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
The platform that underpins the Afeela 1 is identical to the one intended for the 0 Series.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underpins
Verb
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The answer is that the chlorophyll pigment dominant in green leaves is more efficient at triggering photosynthesis — the process by which plants make the sugar that sustains them — than the pigments dominant in darker leaves.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2026
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Rimsky-Korsakov sustains that urgency, creating a narrative through music that moves and reshapes itself in surprising ways.—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Norris supports paper ballots instead of voting machines, according to his campaign website.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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More noteworthy initiatives include the hotel’s green roof, which supports urban biodiversity, and its five-year Habitat Management Plan, run by a team of ecologists.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Of all the criteria the employer has to weigh, including personality and work ethic, the candidate’s ability to do the job carries the most weight.—
Amy Lindgren,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
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The first offense carries a maximum of a year in county jail, according to the bill.—
Mark Dee,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Wemby bolsters his defensive-minded MVP case Wembanyama argued after Monday's win at Miami that his defensive excellence should factor into him winning MVP.—
Tom Orsborn,
San Antonio Express-News,
26 Mar. 2026
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Recent polling bolsters the belief among his possible primary foes that Fetterman could be vulnerable in 2028, with 62% of Pennsylvania Democrats disapproving of his job in a Quinnipiac poll released last month.—
Nicholas Wu,
semafor.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Monday's Supreme Court ruling Monday’s decision upholds a lower court ruling that denied DNA testing of the belt.—
Faith Bugenhagen,
Austin American Statesman,
24 Mar. 2026
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The Giants need a hierarchy, a leadership group of veterans that upholds a standard, one voice from the head coach on down that does not tolerate rookies, second-year players and guys not on the field putting the rest of the group in the public eye for the wrong reasons.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underpins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underpins. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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