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
This conviction underlay the Victorian workhouses in 19th-century England that Charles Dickens critiqued through his novels.
—
Colin Gordon, The Conversation, 29 May 2025
There are still cheerleaders who say H.W. and Clinton’s top-tax-rate increases underlay the 1990s boom and budget surpluses.
—Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
There was another story that underlay the peace negotiations, and that was the story of the love between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter.
—Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2024
The consumer welfare philosophy also underlay U.S. negotiations that resulted in international antitrust cooperation agreements and in competition chapters within bilateral and multilateral trade agreements.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for underlay
Colin Gordon, The Conversation, 29 May 2025
There are still cheerleaders who say H.W. and Clinton’s top-tax-rate increases underlay the 1990s boom and budget surpluses.
—Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
There was another story that underlay the peace negotiations, and that was the story of the love between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter.
—Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2024
The consumer welfare philosophy also underlay U.S. negotiations that resulted in international antitrust cooperation agreements and in competition chapters within bilateral and multilateral trade agreements.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for underlay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlay
Verb
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The $100,000 labor effort aims to counter more than $400,000 Bailey has received from individual donors and a committee supported by local business, including the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 May 2026
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Philadelphia and the other colonial capitals supported competing publications, exposing citizens to sharply different political arguments.—
Richard Torrenzano,
Fortune,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Buddhist, recently widowed, and a successful artist, Rose is ditsy and rather eccentric, but is grounded by a 13-year-old step-granddaughter.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
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Though Chisholm grounded out to first to end the drama, Kotsay was not happy with his bullpen’s ninth-inning performance, which included five walks, four of them in a row with two outs.—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
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The play was reviewed and upheld based on what the replay official said was a lack of evidence to overturn.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
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In October, the Herald interviewed a Venezuelan father from Tampa who was sent to back to Venezuela even though a judge had upheld TPS for Venezuelans the same day he was arrested during a routine check-in at an immigration office.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Rollins survived virtually all of his contemporaries from the 1950s and ’60s, the period in which the fundamental elements of the contemporary jazz that followed for the next half-century were established.—
Don Heckman,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
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Among the artifacts found buried in the frozen earth were pewter military buttons from the First Pennsylvania Battalion, established in 1775 — which helped archaeologists date the remains back to the Revolutionary War, according to the museum.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
25 May 2026
Verb
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Sourcing & Methodology This article was generated by software that analyzes National Weather Service warnings and advisories and creates an article based on templates created by humans.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
31 May 2026
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The plot pivot point is based on a real proposal (but never actualized) to pay New York City homeowners to shelter migrants in their homes.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Also, the second-quarter revenue growth outlook of more than 30% reinforced Ikeda’s confidence in DDOG’s potential to generate further acceleration in its growth.—
TipRanks.com Staff,
CNBC,
31 May 2026
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Humility has to be understood, developed, measured, and reinforced as part of the system of leadership.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
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For decades, the American Dream was predicated on the fact that hard work and a decent income would lead to homeownership.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
27 May 2026
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Our offense has to be predicated on some of the aggressiveness on the bases.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlay. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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