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underlie

verb

Definition of underlienext
1
as in to support
to lie underneath A layer of rock underlies the topsoil.

Related Words

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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.

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 That doesn’t mean their command is bad, so Open Command is probably doing a better job of getting at the underlying skill in question. — Eno Sarris, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 The terminology may differ, but the underlying patterns rarely do. — Farzana Abdulhusein, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026 There’s an underlying new attached to his move from Chicago to Atlanta, too. — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 3 Sep. 2026 The dystopia depicted in the ad came by way of George Orwell’s imagination, but the fears underlying it had deep American roots. — Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for underlie
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlie
  1. support
  2. establish
  3. steady
  4. ground
  5. uphold
  6. reinforce
  7. carry
  8. underpin
Verb
  • If the folks in charge really fixed the offensive line, maybe new coach Todd Monken’s offense can create big plays and support a defense that still has top talent.
    — Zac Jackson, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The documentary is narrated by actor Gary Sinise, whose own direction in life was profoundly affected by the attacks and ultimately inspired the creation of his foundation to support veterans, first responders, and their families.
    — Amy DeLaura, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of support
Verb
  • Inputs divided by outputs established a unit-cost baseline that CFOs could optimize, benchmark and defend to the board.
    — Hemant Kapadia, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • In 2003, Congress supported the goals and ideals of College Savings Month, helping establish September as a time to encourage more families to think about saving before future education costs arrive.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of establish
Verb
  • The increase in Treasury yields triggered a sell-off of Asian and Australian bonds, appearing to confirm that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s attempt to steady the government debt market had backfired.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • By the 11th game of the third set, Keys was hitting herself in the head with her racket, taking her cap off and sighing deep breaths that were either meant to steady her or out of exasperation.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of steady
Verb
  • Imagine how practical, grounded, and reasonable those babies are going to grow up to be.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Not to mention his signature talent for using humor to keep his scares grounded at a human scale.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of ground
Verb
  • The outfit matched the pale yellow of the venue but upheld the Hermès aesthetic of discreet, horsey timelessness.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling dismissing residents’ 2022 lawsuit.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of uphold
Verb
  • The act of retrieving information can help reinforce learning.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Thanks to the support of Canadian agencies, these teams might very well achieve this goal, reinforcing the transatlantic collaborations between European and Canadian animation industries.
    — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of reinforce
Verb
  • That version would carry 10MJ electromagnetic armor and about five tonnes of advanced energy storage.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Authorities didn't comment on the drone's origin or purpose, saying further investigation was needed, but two senior officials said the device was likely carrying explosives.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of carry
Verb
  • Of the industrial innovations underpinning this order, the assembly line and vertical integration were most significant.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Shalini Adnani’s poignant coming-of-age drama Our Share of Sand presents a unique perspective on India’s gaping class inequality, child labor and the deep corruption underpinning a family’s economic status.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of underpin

Browse Nearby Words

underlay
underlie
underlies
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Cite this Entry

“Underlie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlie. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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