undergirds

present tense third-person singular of undergird
as in sustains
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 undergirds Less apparent, though, is the dramatic shift in domestic security doctrine that undergirds these efforts. — Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026 Makdisi and her husband’s decision to remain in Beirut through so many seasons of uncertainty—despite their ability to expatriate with relative ease—is the central tension that undergirds Beirut Fragments. — Literary Hub, 14 July 2026 Something more insidious undergirds the SEC’s proposal than its immediate effect on corporate behavior. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 This kind of Fred-and-Ginger-meets-Laurel-and-Hardy coordination, and the trust that undergirds it, provides the authenticity in a world of red-nosed artifice. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 June 2026 Recently, plans for data center buildouts have accelerated as growing adoption of large language models such as Chat GPT stokes demand for the infrastructure that undergirds them. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 11 May 2026 The second inaccuracy that undergirds this executive order is that there is rampant fraud in mail-in voting. — John E. Jones Iii, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026 Amid this vast landscape of solutions, no one can hope to find a precise microscopic configuration that undergirds our particular macroscopic world. — Quanta Magazine, 23 Mar. 2026 But changing a country, changing an entire regime, because Iran isn't just run by a strong man, there's an entire philosophy, a theocratic philosophy that undergirds the Iranian government. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undergirds
Verb
  • The lake creates a temperate microclimate that sustains one of the country’s most productive fruit-growing regions—and makes this the best possible place to forget a packed lunch.
    — Mike Norton, Midwest Living, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The drifting middle needs a benefits program that sustains engagement and addresses shifting behaviors over time.
    — Neepa Patel, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The other half came from the Fund for Policy Reform, a nonprofit that’s part of Soros’ Open Society Foundations, which supports progressive organizations and whose board is chaired by his son, Alex Soros.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Pearlman supports campus efforts to create foundations for scholarships and lobbying Sacramento and Washington to keep funding, including student aid, at necessary levels.
    — Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Duchien finished with 249 yards on 23-for-32 passing and 92 yards on 14 carries.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Big plays boosted Roberts’ rushing totals to 211 yards on 24 carries with three TDs.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In Comfort, for example, digital displays take a backseat only presenting necessary intel, while Refresh fittingly bolsters interior air management and illumination.
    — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2026
  • In the end, however, Missouri appears poised to use in November a map lawmakers passed in 2022, an extraordinary development that bolsters Cleaver’s chances of reelection and strikes a blow to Trump.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Undergirds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undergirds. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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