as in sustaining
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 undergirding
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
So age has been something that's always been undergirding.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
Even on tour, fans go expecting dramatic catharsis to be undergirding all that glee.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
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
So age has been something that's always been undergirding.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
Even on tour, fans go expecting dramatic catharsis to be undergirding all that glee.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undergirding
Verb
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Over Your Dead Body knows that sustaining a harmonious union amid petty jealousies, paranoia, and personal flaws is hard; navigating a hostage situation involving desperate sickos and sociopaths is even harder; and maintaining a balance of laughs and gag-reflex tweaking is the hardest of it all.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
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The remark conveyed a familiar image of American military power, a projection of being technologically unmatched, logistically dominant and capable of sustaining operations indefinitely.—
James LaPorta,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Snitker was emotional, thanking Ronnie for supporting him in this career for all these decades.—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
26 Apr. 2026
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Investors bought tech stocks viewed as supporting the AI infrastructure buildout and dumping those seen as threatened by its adoption.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Notably, these shakedown attempts come more than 15 years after Michael’s death, thus carrying no risk of being sued for defamation.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
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Asia-to-Europe or intra-Asia trade lanes often go through the strait, and vessels carrying cargo from other apparel manufacturing countries including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Myanmar are likely using the passage.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Cabo Cabo is popping with new and renovated hotels, further bolstering its front-row positioning as a Hollywood travel mainstay.—
Carole Dixon,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Apr. 2026
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Bender added that Churchill Downs bolstering its portfolio with the Preakness could allow the company to streamline sponsorship, media rights and hospitality offerings, while improving its overall ability to monetize racing events.—
Justin Birnbaum,
Sportico.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The idea underpinning this film is that when two friends get together, there are both literal and figurative eruptions.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
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The company has long invested in the technical infrastructure underpinning its feeds, creating a streaming backbone full of redundancies for Thursday Night Football and commissioning two new production trucks—nicknamed Bird and Magic—for its traveling NBA shows.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The case has since taken several turns, with a lower-court ruling in 2021 that the plaintiffs did not have standing and also saying that they were bound by a state Supreme Court 1985 decision upholding the 1982 law.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
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Some said the commercial, with a conventionally attractive, white, thin, blonde woman with blue eyes at its center, was upholding Sweeney as the beauty standard.—
Anika Reed,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Undergirding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undergirding. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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