as in basic
of or relating to the simplest facts or theories of a subject
the underlying differences between democracy and dictatorship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in supporting
to lie underneath
A layer of rock underlies the topsoil.
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in grounding
to form the basis or foundation of (something, such as an idea)
The assumption that underlies their argument is faulty.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 underlying
Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Extreme heat is most dangerous for certain vulnerable populations, including young kids, older adults, people who have underlying medical conditions, people who don’t have access to good air conditioning, or those whose work keeps them outdoors.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 20 June 2025
Mill Etienne, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
Treatment for a burning sensation in your feet varies based on the underlying cause, but medications and lifestyle changes may help.
—Ruth Jessen Hickman, Md, Health, 23 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Adjective
His profile: a big, productive center that has underlying skill, usually goes in the top 10.
—Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Extreme heat is most dangerous for certain vulnerable populations, including young kids, older adults, people who have underlying medical conditions, people who don’t have access to good air conditioning, or those whose work keeps them outdoors.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 20 June 2025
Verb
Unfortunately, many people miss out on this valuable option and instead turn to sleep medications, which often fail to address the underlying issues.
—Mill Etienne, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
Treatment for a burning sensation in your feet varies based on the underlying cause, but medications and lifestyle changes may help.
—Ruth Jessen Hickman, Md, Health, 23 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlying
Adjective
-
Original price: $179 This basic window unit from Frigidaire keeps small and medium-sized rooms cool with customizable temperature settings and two fan speeds.—
Jené Luciani Sena , Caitlyn Martyn
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2025
-
About nineteen minutes in, after a meditative string of A-flats, a halting procession of some two hundred and seventy-five chords begins—permutations of eight basic types, containing up to twelve notes.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
23 June 2025
Verb
-
The design is intended to spur students to leave their rooms and connect with their fellow students, supporting physical and mental health.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes,
31 Dec. 2024
-
Carter asked Davis to come out of retirement—again—to help lead the process of enacting the speed limit into law and supporting its nationwide promotion.—
Doug Melville,
Forbes,
31 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Taurus Season begins on April 19th, bringing a soft, grounding energy to your communication sector.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
13 Apr. 2025
-
Collectively, the trio brings depth and heart to G20, grounding its explosive stakes in something universally human—family.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Perry’s boxing skills were far too rudimentary for Paul and he was stopped in the sixth round.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
-
Though being able to identify and pursue targets can make even a rudimentary swarm more dangerous, the ability to soak up the defender’s data, share that information with other drones and adjust based on what’s happening on the battlefield is far more lethal.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
16 June 2025
Verb
-
To achieve military domination, you'll be tasked with forcefully establishing your Ideology and your empire around the globe.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
6 Feb. 2025
-
To increase your chances of getting into REM on time, experts recommended establishing a healthy overall sleep routine.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Health,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
What To Know The growing resistance to phones on school grounds has been burgeoning since Florida enacted statewide changes in elementary and middle schools in 2023.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 June 2025
-
Queen, an elementary schooler at the time, preferred to play at Goldilocks, another neighborhood court five blocks away.—
Sam Cohn,
Baltimore Sun,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
Labor market stamina, marked by low layoffs and strong wage growth are underpinning consumer spending.—
Lucia Mutikani,
USA TODAY,
21 Dec. 2024
-
The maker of graphics processing units underpinning large language models has benefited, as data center demand has swollen since ChatGPT’s late-2022 launch.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
16 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Finer details on the type of robots being used or their functions have not yet been revealed, but clearly the production of rebar (the reinforcing rods used in concrete construction) will be a major focus, which makes sense since Neom is currently using around 20% of the world's steel supply.—
Adam Williams,
New Atlas,
22 Dec. 2024
-
Share how feedback has shaped your leadership journey, reinforcing a culture of continuous improvement.—
Scott Hutcheson,
Forbes,
22 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Underlying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlying. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share