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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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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 event was hosted by the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism (Radio and Television), supported by the UK’s Department for Business and Trade and organised by Phoenix TV.—
Sara Merican,
Deadline,
17 Oct. 2025
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While the tax was supported by members including the European Union, Brazil and small island states such as Vanuatu, oil-producing countries including the United States and Saudi Arabia opposed it strongly.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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When the Saints run Last week, the Patriots grounded what was then the best rushing attack in football.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
11 Oct. 2025
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Compared with its predecessors, Ares can seem grounded.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That’s despite the fact that the court – just two years ago − upheld the section of the Voting Rights Act that’s again being scrutinized.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
13 Oct. 2025
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In 2023, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s interpretation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in a similar racial gerrymandering case in Alabama.—
Sam D. Hayes,
The Conversation,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Russell’s remarkable life and career — spanning nearly a century from 1872 to 1970 — established him as a pioneering figure in analytic philosophy and one of the 20th century’s foremost logicians.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
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That, five centuries earlier, Leif Ericson slipped over to North America and established Vinland.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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 Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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Eventually, general manager Stan Bowman will need to make a decision on a defenceman, and the most likely scenario (based on contract, asset cost and deployment by the coaching staff) sees Stecher traded or waived.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This was the first of many encounters throughout my visit that reinforced their commitment to individual care.—
Essence,
Essence,
14 Oct. 2025
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As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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His ability to throw precise, on-time passes suits a Jets offense that is predicated on timing and accuracy.—
Andrew Wright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
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However, the possibility of that rally continuing was predicated on stability in geopolitical risk, especially on trade.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlay. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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