as in emphasizes
to indicate the importance of by giving prominent display
the dean's speech underlined some of the impressive accomplishments racked up by members of the graduation class
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Recent Examples of underlines
O’Farrell underlines the boldness of her female characters and the softness of her men.
—
Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
The flamingos' presence in the lagoon underlines the importance of the Venetian ecosystem and offers a new way for visitors to interpret the canaled city and outer islands through their ecological — and not just historical and artistic — significance.
—ABC News, 30 May 2026
Fraser’s explosive performance underlines the immensity of the stakes, balancing every precarious element of this enormous mission.
—Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Barcelona and Bayern’s keenness to acquire him underlines both the paucity of the top-level winger market, as well as his own unique characteristics.
—Pol Ballús, New York Times, 29 May 2026
The new study from the Cook County Treasurer's office underlines growing concerns about the impact the bill could have on the county's property tax base and overall fiscal health.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 27 May 2026
The agreement underlines Hollywood’s growing embrace of AI technology.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 27 May 2026
But some experts emphasize that the era of synthetic drugs underlines the need to address the root factors that make users seek out drugs, given the futility of targeting a supply that’s constantly expanding and shifting.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 18 May 2026
On the contrary, this uncannily wise filmmaker’s delicate touch underlines how vital authorial authenticity can be when engaging with genuine sociopolitical pain through fantasy storytelling.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 May 2026
Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
The flamingos' presence in the lagoon underlines the importance of the Venetian ecosystem and offers a new way for visitors to interpret the canaled city and outer islands through their ecological — and not just historical and artistic — significance.
—ABC News, 30 May 2026
Fraser’s explosive performance underlines the immensity of the stakes, balancing every precarious element of this enormous mission.
—Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Barcelona and Bayern’s keenness to acquire him underlines both the paucity of the top-level winger market, as well as his own unique characteristics.
—Pol Ballús, New York Times, 29 May 2026
The new study from the Cook County Treasurer's office underlines growing concerns about the impact the bill could have on the county's property tax base and overall fiscal health.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 27 May 2026
The agreement underlines Hollywood’s growing embrace of AI technology.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 27 May 2026
But some experts emphasize that the era of synthetic drugs underlines the need to address the root factors that make users seek out drugs, given the futility of targeting a supply that’s constantly expanding and shifting.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 18 May 2026
On the contrary, this uncannily wise filmmaker’s delicate touch underlines how vital authorial authenticity can be when engaging with genuine sociopolitical pain through fantasy storytelling.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlines
Verb
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Despite us having just seen the episode where Reid performed this exact song, his vocals felt like they were shot out of a cannon — Reid has an unexpected control and expressiveness to his live singing voice that emphasizes the already theatrical lyrics and melody.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
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Lifting extremely heavy weights with limited range of motion, as observers have noted in Kennedy’s video, increases the risk of injury and emphasizes numbers rather than strength.—
Paula Chesley,
STAT,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
From your perspective, what distinguishes the kind of conflict that deepens a story from one that just reinforces division?—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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The Living Room bar has an undeniable energy and reinforces the hotel’s identity as a lifestyle hotel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underlines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlines. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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