1
2
as in to establish
to form the basis or foundation of (something, such as an idea)
The assumption that underlies their argument is faulty.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples of underlie in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Zoom in: Temperatures climbing above 100°F each day and dry, gusty winds to at least 40mph — coupled with the underlying drought conditions — have made firefighting difficult, and still threaten to cause the fire to advance in some areas.
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Andrew Freedman, Axios, 13 Aug. 2024
Hire a plumber or pest control company to locate any underlying issues.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 12 Aug. 2024
People who should be most concerned about human parvovirus are those with underlying blood disorders, including sickle cell disease; people with weakened immune systems and people who are pregnant, according to the CDC (the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
—Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 17 Aug. 2024
However, chronic body aches may be a sign of a more serious underlying condition.14
Common Causes
Experience body aches is usually a sign that your body is fighting off a mild-to-moderate acute illness like the flu.
—Heidi Cope, Health, 17 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for underlie 
Andrew Freedman, Axios, 13 Aug. 2024
Hire a plumber or pest control company to locate any underlying issues.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 12 Aug. 2024
People who should be most concerned about human parvovirus are those with underlying blood disorders, including sickle cell disease; people with weakened immune systems and people who are pregnant, according to the CDC (the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
—Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 17 Aug. 2024
However, chronic body aches may be a sign of a more serious underlying condition.14
Common Causes
Experience body aches is usually a sign that your body is fighting off a mild-to-moderate acute illness like the flu.
—Heidi Cope, Health, 17 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for underlie
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'underlie.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Underlie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlie. Accessed 16 Sep. 2024.
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