as in sustained
to hold up or serve as a foundation for
the theory of evolution undergirds virtually all of modern biology
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Recent Examples of undergirded
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
Some might say the new Aurora Regional Navigation Campus that opened recently in a former 255-room hotel is undergirded by one of humanity’s seven deadly sins — envy.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 28 Nov. 2025
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
Some might say the new Aurora Regional Navigation Campus that opened recently in a former 255-room hotel is undergirded by one of humanity’s seven deadly sins — envy.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 28 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undergirded
Verb
-
On Wednesday, the Beltline released a new analysis showing that its Planning Area has sustained more than 91,000 jobs and has surpassed the $10 billion private investment goal years before it had been projected at the project's start.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
-
The residents sheltering in place during the pandemic hit more deer, left more trash that fed more rats, all of which sustained a bigger pack of coyotes over the past year.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
The Fire were bolstered by a crowd of almost 20,000 eager to welcome the WNBA back to Portland for the first time in 24 years.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
10 May 2026
-
And Barcelona only seem set to become stronger, with a young team led by Yamal (out injured for the rest of the season) sure to be bolstered this summer.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
There are many strains of hantavirus that can be carried by many types of rodents and even bats in some areas, according to de la Sancha.—
Allison Kiehl,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
The Panthers slowly chipped away, and two of Dillard’s three relays carried them to a third straight girls state championship at the FHSAA 3A state track and field finals at Hodges Stadium at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville on Friday.—
Gary Curreri,
Sun Sentinel,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Mancera concluded the post by once again thanking those who had supported her following Kneeland’s death.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
-
The bill, which was supported by nurses, teachers, construction workers and service employees in Connecticut, is one of the biggest victories for organized labor in the state in recent years.—
Andrew Brown,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Judges also upheld separate findings that Kim improperly received about 42 million won (about $28,000) in political support tied to vehicle leases and insurance payments during preparations for his election campaign.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
8 May 2026
-
In a 2024 case, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the FDA’s rule allowing mifepristone to be prescribed online and shipped nationwide, ruling that the group that sued over the rule, the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, did not have proper standing to file the legal challenge.—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Undergirded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undergirded. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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