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 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29 July 2026 Beyond the commercial aspect, the assumptions undergirding death positivity have begun to feel nearly as outdated as putting lipstick on a corpse.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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undergirding
  1. sustaining
  2. supporting
  3. carrying
  4. bolstering
  5. underpinning
  6. upholding
Verb
  • But sustaining that rotation has presented its own challenges.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • This is a foundational arrangement for sustaining North Korean livelihoods and stabilizing China’s northeastern border.
    — ZHENG JIYONG, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of sustaining
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Mercury in your private 12th house sextiles Venus in your 2nd House of Resources, supporting quiet decisions around money, self-worth, and peace.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Johnson said the development could add to the local tax base while supporting construction and information technology jobs.
    — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of supporting
Verb
  • Ultimately, though, the highlight is grabbing a glass of local wine at the lobby bar, carrying it to any one of the viewpoints on the massive lawn, and watching sunset over the silent sound, feeling like everything the light touches is yours.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The Houthis claimed responsibility for the strike via the group’s news agency Saba on Tuesday, saying the ship was carrying military equipment.
    — Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of carrying
Verb
  • Summary The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed veteran catcher Chadwick Tromp to a minor league deal, bolstering their depth amidst recent setbacks and injuries to key backstops like Will Smith and Dalton Rushing.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • That shift includes pursuing a store remodeling strategy, bolstering its vendor relationships and making its products more visible across multiple sales channels.
    — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of bolstering
Verb
  • There’s pathos, and shrewd irony, underpinning his performance.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Developer tools such as Claude Code or OpenAI’s Codex are now underpinning a new wave of consumer and general-use products.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of underpinning
Verb
  • The county executive’s chartered responsibilities include overseeing the county’s municipal departments, correcting errors in tax assessments, executing certain contracts, upholding the county charter and representing the county in general.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
  • There are plenty of people who don't agree with the NCAA upholding a suspension, and the Tennessee administration is high on the list.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of upholding

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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 17 Aug. 2026.

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