undergirding

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 The results also present headwinds for the infrastructure undergirding AI. — Garrett Downs,mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026 Ukrainians awoke on Wednesday to find that their military had been restricted in its use of Starshield, the American satellite service undergirding swaths of the nation’s defensive infrastructure and weaponry. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026 Gallego’s sweeping proposals certainly look like the policy engine undergirding a 2028 presidential campaign. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026 The paradox is at the heart of the magical thinking undergirding our prison culture. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2026 This week, Ars hosted a live discussion with Ross Scott about the Stop Killing Games movement and its ongoing efforts to ensure that games remain playable even after the original publisher shuts down the online servers undergirding them. — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026 The gain helps cement Microsoft’s Azure as a leading cloud giant behind Amazon Web Services, and as one of the most prominent providers of the infrastructure undergirding the AI era. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 29 July 2026 Beyond the commercial aspect, the assumptions undergirding death positivity have begun to feel nearly as outdated as putting lipstick on a corpse. — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 But for hardcore believers, this didn’t mean that the philosophy undergirding the Soviet experiment was wrong. — Literary Hub, 21 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undergirding
Verb
  • Universities need institutions capable of sustaining serious debate after a visiting speaker leaves campus.
    — Ilya Shapiro, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
  • With their best player out for the game, the Miami offense had a hard time getting big plays or sustaining drives, particularly in the first half.
    — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • There’s also evidence supporting some non-drug treatments for hot flashes, night sweats and sleep or mood problems, ACOG said.
    — Laura Ungar, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Stanley said drivers and bus monitors play an especially important role in supporting students with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs.
    — Jamal Goss, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Any legislators carrying such a bill would need to convince their colleagues in multiple parts of the state where Hollywood has less sway of the wisdom of such a move.
    — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Firearms cannot be brought into polling places located inside private property that forbids them, a school, a courthouse or any other location where Pennsylvania law prohibits carrying firearms.
    — Garrett Behanna, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • In a unanimous vote, council members approved three separate motions aimed at assisting pets and bolstering care for animals across the city.
    — City News Service, Daily News, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Despite his bolstering the GOP war chest, most of the candidates Musk backed lost their races.
    — Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • The fighting with the Houthis is compounding the economic headwinds forced on the kingdom by the Iran war and a general economic slowdown; Saudi officials already have had to reassess some of the grander ambitions underpinning Vision 2030.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Weil Gotshal’s collapse is a potential shock to the legal infrastructure underpinning sports’ private equity boom.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Despite voters upholding the practice, California has not executed anyone since 2006.
    — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Martin supported the head tax and was the deciding vote recently upholding the mayor’s veto of an ordinance that would have required 30 of 50 aldermen to support future bond authorizations.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Undergirding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undergirding. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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