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
Notably, this same mechanism underlies cocaine’s effects, highlighting its potency.
—
Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Protein aggregation underlies devastating disorders such as Alzheimer’s plaques, Parkinson’s Lewy bodies, and misfolded proteins in cancer.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
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
Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Protein aggregation underlies devastating disorders such as Alzheimer’s plaques, Parkinson’s Lewy bodies, and misfolded proteins in cancer.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlies
Verb
-
This adaptability supports a variety of scientific and technological advancements, contributing to the future of space exploration.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Caracas denied the allegation, but it is widely believed that the Cartel de los Soles—the Cartel of the Suns—drug organization is led by the Venezuelan armed forces and controls or at least supports Tren de Aragua.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Alan is a married man tempted by things that could be, but his friendship with Roger grounds the story in a rare portrayal of Black male vulnerability.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Those stronger gradients boost efficiency and grounds osmotic generation in existing systems rather than the lab.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In the last 10 years, cybersecurity defenses have been bolstered through CISA 2015, a law passed by Congress and signed by former President Barack Obama that establishes a framework for information sharing around threats, vulnerabilities and attacks.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Bill 2331/22, as drafted by congressional representative Jandira Feghali, establishes that streaming services will have to pay a 6% Condecine tax on their gross revenues in Brazil.—
Marcelo Cajueiro,
Variety,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The bill conflates ethics with tax relief and reinforces the idea that lawmakers need a sweet treat to behave ethically.—
Andrew Leahey,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
That, too, is a supportive development that reinforces the potential for further upside.—
Frank Cappelleri,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The evidence strongly indicates JNJ’s rally rests on solid foundations that could support continued outperformance.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Routh, who is representing himself despite having little legal experience, has signaled that his defense rests largely on his character.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Social Security Administration bases its COLA each year on average annual increases in the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W) from July through September.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Bing bases its results on Copilot AI, which takes advantage of OpenAI GPT models.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
11 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underlies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlies. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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