undergirded

verb

past tense of undergird
as in sustained
to hold up or serve as a foundation for the theory of evolution undergirds virtually all of modern biology

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 undergirded In doing so, Congress would be retreating from the notion that Medicare can control how many services physicians provide on a national basis, an idea that has undergirded Medicare’s doctor payments for decades. — John Wilkerson, STAT, 24 Sep. 2026 The financial manipulations that undergirded their fortunes get scrutinized as theft from the public purse, praise for their courage and perspicacity yields to condemnation for their conduct. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026 The frontier myth undergirded their policies. — Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026 In the summer of 2020, massive riots erupted over the murder of George Floyd, undergirded by a powerful social justice movement. — Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 25 Mar. 2026 Hungarian Conceptual artist Dóra Maurer, whose fascination with movement and change undergirded a diverse practice marked by bright hues, simple shapes, and uninhibited experimentation, died on February 14. — News Desk, Artforum, 22 Feb. 2026 Her wacky asides, undergirded by a subtle poignancy, both gave Guffman a zany edge and helped transform the mockumentary genre itself. — Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026 Yet his empire of quiet is undergirded by unease. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026 This includes the inherently exploitative nature of apparel production that is undergirded by unequal power dynamics between the global North and the global South. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 15 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undergirded
  1. sustained
  2. bolstered
  3. carried
  4. supported
  5. upheld
Verb
  • Then Achane sustained a rib injury in the Jets game and Wright maximized his opportunity, gaining a career-high 107 rushing yards and scoring one rushing touchdown on 24 carries in a 34-10 win over the New York Jets.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Inventory has to be available at the right time, margins have to absorb retailer terms, teams have to support education and marketing, and sell-through has to be sustained beyond the launch.
    — Rhea Cartwright, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of sustained
Verb
  • The set’s first-week sales were bolstered by its availability across 16 vinyl variants (one with a bonus track), nine CD variants (one with a bonus track), six download variants (most with bonus tracks) and a cassette.
    — Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The shape, while certainly short, was bolstered by three-dimensional bubbles, some silver, others a turquoise shade.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of bolstered
Verb
  • For Meyer, who was born and raised in Los Angeles and grew up on the Westside, reopening in the Palisades also carried personal significance.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Trump carried it by roughly 12 percentage points in 2024, and Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears carried it by about 8 points in 2025.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of carried
Verb
  • Since winning the nomination, el Sayed has warmed to Schumer, as having the backing of the centrist wing of the party, which supported Stevens in the primary, will be crucial in taking on Republican nominee Mike Rogers.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The original supply chain and much of the personnel expertise that supported the Blackbird have long since disappeared.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of supported
Verb
  • Bardella, Le Pen's protégé, had been waiting in the wings to take her place as the party candidate if the original five-year ban had been upheld.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Bardella, Le Pen’s protégé, had been waiting in the wings to take her place as the party candidate if the original five-year ban had been upheld.
    — John Leicester, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of upheld

Browse Nearby Words

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undergirded
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Cite this Entry

“Undergirded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undergirded. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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