1
as in supported
to lie underneath
A layer of rock underlies the topsoil.
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2
as in grounded
to form the basis or foundation of (something, such as an idea)
The assumption that underlies their argument is faulty.
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of underlay
Amazon Bedrock will underlay the solution, according to a release.
—
Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 26 July 2024
There are unresolved tensions in Williams’s script that could use some pressure, like the way Cephus’s seeming nostalgia exists alongside his acknowledgment of segregation, or how economic realities underlay his journey north (and only a deus ex machina allows his return to the South).
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 5 June 2024
Chris Messina steals scenes as unhinged, foul-mouthed agent David Falk, while Jason Bateman underlays his straight-man deadpan with subtle emotion as Rob Strasser.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 11 July 2023
Another key part of the trick involves an appreciation of two psychological systems that underlay our decision making, as described by Daniel Kahneman, a psychologist and Nobel Prize-winner.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Aug. 2017
See All Example Sentences for underlay
Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 26 July 2024
There are unresolved tensions in Williams’s script that could use some pressure, like the way Cephus’s seeming nostalgia exists alongside his acknowledgment of segregation, or how economic realities underlay his journey north (and only a deus ex machina allows his return to the South).
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 5 June 2024
Chris Messina steals scenes as unhinged, foul-mouthed agent David Falk, while Jason Bateman underlays his straight-man deadpan with subtle emotion as Rob Strasser.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 11 July 2023
Another key part of the trick involves an appreciation of two psychological systems that underlay our decision making, as described by Daniel Kahneman, a psychologist and Nobel Prize-winner.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Aug. 2017
See All Example Sentences for underlay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlay
Verb
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The research, published in Nature Photonics, was supported by the Army Research Office, NSF, DARPA, and NASA’s JPL.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
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What began as a handful of campus groups now stretches across more than 3,500 high schools and universities, supported by dozens of full-time staff who manage student activists like a professional sales force.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But as a mother of seven, staying grounded hasn't been a problem for Barrett.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
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O’Farrell imagined a speculative fiction that nonetheless grounded the story of a famous historical couple in the reality of both love’s labor and a sense of loss.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The decision upheld a previous denial by the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission over traffic concerns raised by city officials and in more than 300 public comments.—
Rose Evans
September 10,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Sep. 2025
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Yesterday, an appeals court upheld that $83 million award.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The majority held that the right to end a pregnancy was found neither in the text of the Constitution nor in the nation's history, erasing a reproductive right the high court established nearly five decades ago.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
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Use a car dealership that is well established in your community.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Johnstone directed and penned the screenplay based on characters created by Akela Cooper & James Wan.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
12 Sep. 2025
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The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This has reinforced the perception that AMD is still very much in the early stages of its AI journey, with Nvidia controlling a dominant share of training workloads, and Broadcom now threatening to gain market share with its custom silicon.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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However, DeepSeek's breakthrough with R1 earlier this year reinforced China's position as a formidable AI player in its own right.—
Ryan Browne,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Cosmists who believed in technology as a messianic force clashed not just with the Svyatogor camp, but also with the communists, whose guiding ideology of Marxism-Leninism was predicated on the dismantling of age-old social systems to establish a novel world order.—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
12 Sep. 2025
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The call is predicated on Fed officials continuing to worry about inflation but focusing more on jobs.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlay. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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