1
as in supports
to lie underneath
A layer of rock underlies the topsoil.
Related Words
Relevance
2
as in grounds
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 underlies
High activity of these enzymes, called P450, frequently underlies resistance to insecticides in other mosquitoes.
—
Jacob A Tennessen, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
Collage just underlies most of the Western art of the twentieth century.
—Laura Brown, Artforum, 25 Mar. 2026
Again has a catchier ring than Make America Feel Real Again, but the same sentiment underlies both.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
So often, this dynamic of defiant contrast underlies hostility between countries.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2026
High-resistivity wafers enter the high-level injection regime more readily than low-resistivity ones, a physical characteristic that underlies their superior intrinsic potential for achieving high fill factors.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
Papouin’s team was studying changes at synapses that alter communication between neurons, a form of neuroplasticity that underlies ongoing shifts in thought and behavior.
—Ingrid Wickelgren, Quanta Magazine, 30 Jan. 2026
The permafrost that underlies the island is rapidly thawing and destabilizing infrastructure, including the critical radar installation and runway at Thule, renamed Pituffik Space Base in 2022.
—Paul Bierman, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
Continue to build the foundation that underlies your life.
—Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 7 Jan. 2026
Jacob A Tennessen, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
Collage just underlies most of the Western art of the twentieth century.
—Laura Brown, Artforum, 25 Mar. 2026
Again has a catchier ring than Make America Feel Real Again, but the same sentiment underlies both.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
So often, this dynamic of defiant contrast underlies hostility between countries.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2026
High-resistivity wafers enter the high-level injection regime more readily than low-resistivity ones, a physical characteristic that underlies their superior intrinsic potential for achieving high fill factors.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
Papouin’s team was studying changes at synapses that alter communication between neurons, a form of neuroplasticity that underlies ongoing shifts in thought and behavior.
—Ingrid Wickelgren, Quanta Magazine, 30 Jan. 2026
The permafrost that underlies the island is rapidly thawing and destabilizing infrastructure, including the critical radar installation and runway at Thule, renamed Pituffik Space Base in 2022.
—Paul Bierman, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
Continue to build the foundation that underlies your life.
—Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlies
Verb
-
Norris supports paper ballots instead of voting machines, according to his campaign website.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
More noteworthy initiatives include the hotel’s green roof, which supports urban biodiversity, and its five-year Habitat Management Plan, run by a team of ecologists.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What grounds your sense of worth today?—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Still, Keisha’s final monologue is devastating in its plea for perceptual equity, and daniels’ performance grounds the play in something urgently human.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Proposed by MKs Simcha Rotman and Yulia Malinovsky, the law establishes the practical mechanisms — procedural and evidentiary — to secure convictions of Nukhba terrorists, after which the death penalty could be imposed.—
Benjamin Weinthal , Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The draft legislation establishes safety standards, insurance requirements and data privacy protections.—
John Seng,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Orkin reinforces your home's protections, targets those who have weaseled their way into your home, and starts to prep for the colder season where all those bugs will want to come back into your warm and cozy walls.—
Kate Tully Ellsworth,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
This new endeavor signals a strategic evolution in her career, bridging hip-hop with theater in a way that reinforces her while aligning her with one of Broadway’s most celebrated shows.—
Datwon Thomas,
VIBE.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The project has dragged on for four years, and Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, founder of a farmworker advocacy group called ALAS, said the problem at 555 Kelly rests at the local level.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
And America’s constitutional system, unlike Russia’s, rests on consent of the governed.—
Jason Willick,
Washington Post,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Mitchell bases his assessment on a poll released last week by state Democratic Party Chairman Rusty Hicks, part of an effort to pressure low-polling Democratic candidates to step out of the race.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
-
IMDBPro bases its Top 100 most-popular list on the page views of the more than 250 million monthly visitors to IMDb worldwide.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underlies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlies. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
