undergirding

verb

present participle of undergird
as in sustaining
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 undergirding But there are key threads undergirding it. — Megan Feringa, New York Times, 17 May 2026 OpenAI is at the heart of a web of deals undergirding the artificial intelligence boom that has helped power the entire stock market higher. — Rob Wile, NBC news, 28 Apr. 2026 In the early 2000s it was shown that there are at least 10500 different configurations of the six compact dimensions, each theoretically undergirding a universe with different properties. — Quanta Magazine, 23 Mar. 2026 That fear, undergirding all of our hard work. — Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2026 Instruments drift in and out, sometimes accreting into subtle polyrhythms or harmonies, and other times lightly undergirding Ederra’s gorgeous runs. — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 11 Mar. 2026 While profits boomed in the US, the rest of the world wasn’t shabby either, undergirding calls to diversify away from American stocks into megacaps in Asia and Europe. — Michael Msika, Bloomberg, 1 Mar. 2026 Capital expenditures—capex, meaning the big-ticket purchases that fund the data centers, servers, and power infrastructure undergirding the AI race—is fueling record-high, multi-trillion dollar tech valuations when investors think the spending is warranted. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026 Every social theory undergirding Trumpism has been broken on the steel of Minnesotan resolve. — Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undergirding
  1. sustaining
  2. supporting
  3. carrying
  4. bolstering
  5. underpinning
  6. upholding
Verb
  • Woman died at hospital after sustaining severe injuries Three people were transported to local hospitals with severe injuries, according to police.
    — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • Commercializing fusion research NIFS’ achievements in fusion research range from sustaining plasma for 3,268 seconds to reaching temperatures over 100 million degrees Celsius.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 7 July 2026
Definition of sustaining
Verb
  • The move is contentious, with environmentalists supporting the removal, while tribes and horse lovers are heartbroken.
    — Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Faulty columns supporting too much weight were to blame for the building’s structural damage, said Berman.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 9 July 2026
Definition of supporting
Verb
  • Now, mosquitoes carrying West Nile have been found in 10 cities, with the latest being Fullerton and Anaheim.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • The new frontier is cumulative stress, a running tally of how much strain your body is carrying from work, poor sleep, illness, travel, emotional load and exercise combined.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026
Definition of carrying
Verb
  • The Toronto Blue Jays are bolstering their organizational depth by signing veteran outfielder Daz Cameron, a former first-round pick with five years of MLB experience.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • Their 2026 draft could shift in the other direction with more focus on bolstering their pitching in the farm system.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
Definition of bolstering
Verb
  • The maker of Birkin bags and silk scarves has long relied on its leather goods business as its primary growth driver, with tight supply underpinning premium pricing power and exclusivity.
    — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 9 July 2026
  • But liberals should have confidence in meeting those fears with arguments about natural-law principles of equality and dignity underpinning our legal tradition.
    — Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 2 July 2026
Definition of underpinning
Verb
  • Last year, the Supreme Court struck its first blow against transgender rights by upholding a Tennessee law banning transgender care, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, for minors.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • The opinions, which neither justice is expected to discuss in their testimony, included a ruling upholding the constitutional right to birthright citizenship, which Trump sought to undercut with an executive order.
    — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 7 July 2026
Definition of upholding

Browse Nearby Words

undergirded
undergirding
undergirds
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Cite this Entry

“Undergirding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undergirding. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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