1
as in supports
to lie underneath
A layer of rock underlies the topsoil.
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2
as in grounds
to form the basis or foundation of (something, such as an idea)
The assumption that underlies their argument is faulty.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of underlies
Dysfunctional lipid storage underlies a wide range of health conditions, with obesity and diabetes just two of them.
—
New Atlas, 28 Aug. 2025
The idea that the past is the key to the present underlies all sciences that deal with time, such as geology, evolutionary biology, and ecology.
—Ellen Wohl
august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
That tension underlies pretty much every celebrity profile, and films like Almost Famous and, as the gothic quality of Moritz von Stuelpnagel’s directing will very much remind you, Sunset Boulevard.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
Either way, an involuntary act, unlike the struggle to be, to exist, that underlies the need to write.
—Louise Glück, The New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2025
The goal was to figure out whether training in the cold would boost mitochondria levels, which is one of the key adaptations that underlies aerobic fitness.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 17 Dec. 2024
This basic setup underlies transformers in a wide range of sizes.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Dec. 2024
This philosophy underlies Sand-Catcher, Omar Khalifah’s sharp, darkly funny debut novel, translated from Arabic by Barbara Romaine.
—Bekah Waalkes, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2024
And so is the deep human instinct that underlies such rituals.
—Michael Morris, TIME, 27 Nov. 2024
New Atlas, 28 Aug. 2025
The idea that the past is the key to the present underlies all sciences that deal with time, such as geology, evolutionary biology, and ecology.
—Ellen Wohl
august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
That tension underlies pretty much every celebrity profile, and films like Almost Famous and, as the gothic quality of Moritz von Stuelpnagel’s directing will very much remind you, Sunset Boulevard.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
Either way, an involuntary act, unlike the struggle to be, to exist, that underlies the need to write.
—Louise Glück, The New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2025
The goal was to figure out whether training in the cold would boost mitochondria levels, which is one of the key adaptations that underlies aerobic fitness.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 17 Dec. 2024
This basic setup underlies transformers in a wide range of sizes.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Dec. 2024
This philosophy underlies Sand-Catcher, Omar Khalifah’s sharp, darkly funny debut novel, translated from Arabic by Barbara Romaine.
—Bekah Waalkes, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2024
And so is the deep human instinct that underlies such rituals.
—Michael Morris, TIME, 27 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlies
Verb
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In addition to the men’s side, Matt Hargreaves, the club’s director of football negotiations, also significantly supports recruitment in the women’s team.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
-
The Future Hybrid System features a pre-chamber ignition and supports gasoline, E85 ethanol, M100 methanol, and synthetic fuels, with market introduction targeted for 2027.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This approach grounds technical excellence in solid understanding of human nature and planetary limits.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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On Monday and Tuesday, the Aries Moon grounds you by focusing your attention on finances and values.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Other witnesses also emphasized this point — the nation that establishes a presence on the lunar surface first will set the rules of engagement for resources, governance, and international partnerships back on Earth.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Guided by these experts, the team establishes credibility backed by science and best practices.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The weak showing reinforces a picture of a labor market that has almost entirely lost momentum.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
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This partnership also reinforces O’Neal’s commitment to working with partners who understand his vision of making quality products accessible to everyday consumers.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But, a year later, Springer rests at the opposite end of baseball’s leaderboards.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The genocide allegation also rests on claims that Israel intentionally targeted civilians, but the study acknowledges civilian deaths while finding no evidence of a systematic policy of massacre.—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Bing bases its results on Copilot AI, which takes advantage of OpenAI GPT models.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
11 Aug. 2025
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California is one of a handful of states that bases aid, in part, on average daily attendance, according to Dee, so when fewer kids show, that means fewer resources.—
Marina E. Franco,
NBC news,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underlies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlies. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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