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
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
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
Verb
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Her hyperfocus on the leaf raises questions that extend far beyond the kitchen, inviting an inquiry into the banana plant’s movement across geographies and its role in sustaining cultural traditions.—
Sophia Rey,
JSTOR Daily,
28 May 2026
-
Emotionally cornered and spiritually exhausted, Anatoly at last lets everything rupture to the surface, sustaining the anthem's climactic note for over 20 seconds.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
While that is still a possibility, Breslow hasn’t interviewed any candidates and is right now focused on supporting Tracy.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
The resulting benefits supporting pregnancy care, fertility care, surrogacy, adoption, egg freezing and the like have gained in popularity and made significant impacts.—
Rachel Braun Scherl,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
Behind him, in single file, trailed a troop of men and women carrying decades-old L1A1 and Lee-Enfield rifles.—
Dhruv Tikekar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
The system relied on an 11-parachute sequence to safely decelerate the capsule carrying a crew of four astronauts from over 25,000 mph in space to a gentle 20 mph splashdown.—
Pat Maio,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Beijing, Iran’s largest trading partner and the main buyer of Iranian oil, has backed Pakistan, too, bolstering the country’s credibility even further.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
3 June 2026
-
Hilton's platform focuses on increasing affordable housing supply for first-time homebuyers, bolstering tech industries and reviving California's film industry.—
Saige Miller,
NPR,
2 June 2026
Verb
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That reflects both the enormous valuations that software startups commanded during the 2021 venture boom and the degree to which generative AI has destabilized assumptions underpinning the sector.—
Hugh Son,
CNBC,
1 June 2026
-
Applying terrorism designations to criminal syndicates, Brazilian officials say, conflicts with domestic legal definitions and risks blurring distinctions underpinning international counterterrorism law.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
1 June 2026
Verb
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There are few guidelines on how to deal with rumors while upholding conventional values of accuracy, verification, and transparency.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
28 May 2026
-
About 1 in 3 states didn’t even employ one staffer whose full-time job was to ensure that nonprofit funds were properly managed and that people in their states who ran nonprofits were upholding their financial and ethical duties, according to the survey.—
Sarah Webber,
Fortune,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Undergirding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undergirding. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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