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 This can lead to greater insights on their structure, their characteristics and the physics that underlie it all. — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026 Mangione’s legal team successfully argued at the time the two underlying stalking charges in the federal indictment are not violent crimes. — Kara Scannell, CNN Money, 9 Oct. 2026 Felton also uses Amazon Quick, an AI assistant for work, himself, including to query supporting materials prepared for board meetings and locate answers in the underlying files. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026 Treatments — including medication, physical therapy and surgery — can help manage many of these symptoms, but none has been shown to change the underlying course of the disease. — Jennifer Fields, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for underlie

Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlie

Verb

Research on hitting objects does not support it as a way to reduce anger, and there are too few studies of screaming to conclude its effects.

— Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
These improvements are intended to help military forces transport larger loads more efficiently and support operational demands across a range of environments.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of support

Verb

But a key rationale for eligibility rules is to establish bright-line, predictable rules that should promote fair play and competition, with colleges, coaches and athletes treated similarly in similar situations.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Since establishing his label in Paris in 1937, Roger Vivier became known for experimentation with form, materials and heel shapes — a vocabulary creative director Gherardo Felloni continues to mine today.

— Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of establish

Verb

Rams coach Sean McVay is hopeful new kicker Blake Grupe will help steady a special teams unit that struggled mightily in the team’s overtime loss to the Bills.

— Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
How do you — not as an anthropologist and not as a filmmaker, but as a human — steady yourself through witnessing something like this?

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of steady

Verb

Getting observational data from Thwaites’ grounding line is the next step, Rignot said.

— Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
Of course, the West itself is a nebulous concept, one that was wholly absent from the ancient Greek and Roman luminaries who ground its canon.

— Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of ground

Verb

That decision, upheld on appeal, put the onus on the Continuum of Care, an amorphous entity with a board and open membership that had long functioned as an appendage of LAHSA but actually had the statutory power to hire or fire the agency.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
An appeals court subsequently threw out the massive financial penalty but upheld the fraud finding.

— Sagar Meghani, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of uphold

Verb

Matt Schnaars, president of platform distribution and partnerships for NBCUniversal, reinforced Shapiro’s observations in a separate session.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
The audience response has reinforced interest in experiencing independent films on the big screen and helped inform ABFF’s expansion into theatrical distribution.

— Brent Lang, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of reinforce

Verb

The negotiations are focused on rebuilding institutions, including Venezuela’s supreme court and electoral commission, to underpin free and fair elections.

— Helena Carpio, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
Yet that formula, underpinned by a staff-to-guest ratio of 6 to 1, proved intoxicating.

— Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 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 18 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of underlie

verb

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