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.
Related 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.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of underlying
Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2025
In some cases, an underlying skin condition, such as seborrheic dermatitis, may cause both dandruff and hair loss.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 30 Oct. 2025
Lorie Konish, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
But the underlying thread in all his research was an attempt to understand human decision-making scientifically.
—Big Think, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Adjective
This introspective behavior, however, was highly inconsistent—occurring only about 20% of the time—and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2025
In some cases, an underlying skin condition, such as seborrheic dermatitis, may cause both dandruff and hair loss.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
Changing the underlying data used in its calculation could affect the size of beneficiaries' payments, and also have implications for Social Security's trust funds, which are running low.
—Lorie Konish, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
But the underlying thread in all his research was an attempt to understand human decision-making scientifically.
—Big Think, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlying
Adjective
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Training ground facilities are relatively basic compared to those of other Spanish top-flight clubs.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Ideally, clinical trials will be paired with basic research to help scientists answer the many questions this discovery has raised.—
Lisa Jarvis,
Twin Cities,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Fix the City, the PAC supporting Cuomo’s bid since the primary, spent millions on television ads for the former mayor and against Mamdani.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
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Pet Loss At Home, an organization of mobile veterinarians providing end-of-life care in the comfort of home, suggested that people supporting a grieving friend can send memorial gifts and flowers, or print photos of the pet to send along with a personalized card.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The series aims to balance regional specificity with global appeal, tapping into universal questions about belief systems while grounding its narrative in distinctly Asian cultural contexts.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
4 Nov. 2025
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Hutcherson, meanwhile, is a straight-man revelation, his earnest, odd-man-out presence grounding the show’s otherwise manic energy.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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But back in the time of Galileo, the phenomena of electricity and magnetism were only understood in the most rudimentary of fashions; by the 19th century, they had been investigated much more thoroughly.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Nov. 2025
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The Prelude’s rear seat is so rudimentary, Honda didn’t even provide a photo of it.—
Mark Phelan,
Freep.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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By targeting breeding grounds and establishing protective barriers, Hawx helps families reclaim their outdoor spaces.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has asked the federal government for $1 billion to improve rural health care, outlining plans for adding community health workers, investing in new technologies such as artificial intelligence and establishing more partnerships across the state.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The all-inclusive resort also has an extensive activities program and kids programming for babies and toddlers, elementary schoolers, and teens.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Basically, loop quantum gravity implies that space is not infinitely divisible — it’s made of elementary chunks, which are linked together into loops.—
Zack Savitsky,
Quanta Magazine,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Florentine merchant was a committed letter writer and underpinning most of these letters was the ledger, containing the balance sheets of a whole host of businesses.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Nov. 2025
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This offers a degree of clarity on supplies of the critical minerals, which are an essential component in the semiconductors underpinning the AI boom.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But critics and former employees who spoke with CNN say the AI company has long known of the dangers of the tool’s tendency toward sycophancy – repeatedly reinforcing and encouraging any kind of input – particularly for users who are distressed or mentally ill.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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Under his leadership, Brioni underwent an operational reorganisation and experienced strong growth momentum, reinforcing its position in the luxury menswear landscape, according to its parent company Kering.—
Vogue Business Team,
Vogue,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underlying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlying. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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