UNDERLIE Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

underlie

verb

Definition of underlie

as in to support

to lie underneath A layer of rock underlies the topsoil.

Related Words

Relevance

as in to establish

to form the basis or foundation of (something, such as an idea) The assumption that underlies their argument is faulty.

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 underlie Johnson also set the evening’s underlying political tone, acknowledging how Black Democratic voters helped overturn the traditionally Republican states of Georgia and Texas in recent midterm elections. — Mark P. Braboy, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026 The woman who died was in her 50s with underlying chronic medical conditions who was not vaccinated against the flu, according to a news release from the Sacramento County Public Health. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026 The cost of energy underlies much of the economy, making energy and politics inseparable, especially when gasoline prices rise. — Michael A. Mische, Washington Post, 5 Nov. 2026 Investors worry that the enormous investment in AI is creating a stock market bubble, which happens when sky-high valuations become detached from companies' underlying fundamentals. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for underlie

Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlie

Verb

Kurtz also pointed to declines in cities like San Francisco, which is moving to support more sober-living options, housing that bans drugs and alcohol.

— Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 8 Nov. 2026
However, until recently the US has selectively supported investigations, for instance into war crimes in Darfur and during the Syrian civil war, and – under President Biden – into Russian atrocities in Ukraine.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of support

Verb

This could help establish a circular supply chain in which discarded electronic components become feedstock for new industrial applications.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
At the news conference, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said investigators at his office gathered video evidence, interviewed witnesses and worked closely with prosecutors to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

— Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of establish

Verb

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian aided the recently struggling QB by calling RPOs, screens and quick throws to steady the offense in the first half.

— PJ Green November 8, Kansas City Star, 8 Nov. 2026
Jaxson Flynt takes a careful step into the pool, reaching for the railing to steady himself.

— Ciara McCarthy October 22, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of steady

Verb

While Vulcan was grounded, ULA exhausted all but six of its Atlas V rockets this year, with all of those remaining set aside for Boeing’s Starliner missions.

— Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Nov. 2026
Soft blues and creams mirror the sea and sand visible through sliding glass doors, while natural wood finishes ground the spaces in their island setting.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Nov. 2026

Definition of ground

Verb

Rather than demolishing and starting again, the team kept the historic walls standing, reinforced every one of them, and dug beneath to take the foundations deeper.

— Lucas Oliver Mill, Architectural Digest, 11 Nov. 2026
The event gave the community a chance to dispose of Halloween pumpkins in an eco-friendly way that would keep them out of landfills and also help reinforce the soil.

— David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026

Definition of reinforce

Verb

The shop also carries beer, seasonal wines and adult-only slushies with a rotating flavor each week like Rosemary’s Baby, a mix of grapefruit vodka, maple syrup infused with rosemary and a little bit of lemon for balance.

— Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 11 Nov. 2026
The weapon carries a 1,000-pound penetrator and blast-fragmentation warhead designed to destroy large surface vessels.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Nov. 2026

Definition of carry

Verb

In 1945 a ministerial order formally established the criteria that fashion houses had to meet to qualify as haute couture, creating the legal framework that continues to underpin the system.

— Alicja Zelazko, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Nov. 2026
For Matthews, that accessibility underpins a healthy, sustainable economy.

— Scott Campbell, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of underpin

Browse Nearby Words

underlay

underlie

underlies

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Style

“Underlie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlie. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of underlie

verb

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