undergirded

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 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 Mamdani sailed to victory in the New York City mayor’s race, first in the primary, then in the general election, on a platform of affordability undergirded by good old-fashioned class warfare. — Abby Phillip, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undergirded
Verb
  • The agency said the father and son sustained injuries and were treated at a local hospital.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Officials warned of heavy rainfall, sustained winds of 25-35 mph and the potential of coastal flooding in New York, with the worst of it expected to occur from Saturday evening into Sunday afternoon.
    — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Her words bolstered Matthews argument, casting doubt on whether the path had in fact been used by the public on a continuous basis sufficient to establish a right-of-way.
    — Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026
  • In the 1970s the country rolled out a national immunization program that bolstered uptake nationwide.
    — Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • If the team succeeds, the result could transform a technology normally associated with large laboratory instruments into a compact quantum sensor that can be carried where the threat actually is.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The proposal laid out concrete details aimed at restoring traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which carried about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments before the war, reviving fragile hopes for a diplomatic off-ramp to the seven-month war.
    — Sam Meredith,Anniek Bao, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Marshall, a close ally of the president, strongly supported the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and has defended its wide-ranging provisions against criticism from Democratic lawmakers.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The president last year signed an executive order seeking to change a range of museums and landmarks supported by the federal government.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Their original claim was thus upheld; the error had only been in the implementation of the method, not the finding itself.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026
  • However, the West Berkshire Council had upheld the objections filed in February and, last month, rejected their appeal.
    — Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Undergirded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undergirded. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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