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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of underlying
Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
The justices are not being asked to rule on the merits of the underlying legal challenge.
—Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
The footage and its underlying data could go through hundreds of thousands of servers and systems all over the world — increasing the chance of residual data being left behind.
—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Adjective
By adjusting for variables such as smoking, physical activity and underlying health conditions, the researchers were able to isolate the specific relationship between caffeine intake and long-term brain health, SWNS noted.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
The justices are not being asked to rule on the merits of the underlying legal challenge.
—Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
There is an understandable, foreseeable progression to the behavior that can be predicted from the rules that govern the underlying neural circuits.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
The footage and its underlying data could go through hundreds of thousands of servers and systems all over the world — increasing the chance of residual data being left behind.
—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlying
Adjective
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Second, our basic law includes some rights--like the right to bear arms--phrased more strongly than the federal constitution.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
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Vast's 2027 mission will follow that same basic pattern, according to NASA.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In a January 16 court filing supporting criminal charges against the two men, the DOJ asserted Aljorna was the one driving the vehicle.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
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Eco effort Deeply committed to sea turtle conservation, Four Seasons Resort Nevis has partnered with the Sea Turtle Conservancy for over 15 years to educate and raise awareness while supporting research on migration patterns and species recovery.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Officials cannot get a more precise estimate because high winds are grounding firefighting airplanes that map the fire’s footprint.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
17 Feb. 2026
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Other artists have tried to tackle this melodrama by grounding us in specific characters’ perspectives, or by heightening the performances, but Fennell embraces the story’s fundamental absurdism by giving us absurd and often glorious images.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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First signs of rudimentary Valentine notes began appearing much later, in the 1500s, according to Britannica.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
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The first is risk detection, which can be solved with more rudimentary machine learning.—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion on Thursday establishing limits on when an outside investigation must take place following a Texas jail inmate’s death.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Feb. 2026
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Trump signed an executive order in December to push for a single regulatory framework for AI, establishing a litigation task force to challenge state AI laws, namely those led by Democratic lawmakers.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The House Common Education Committee unanimously passed House Bill 4358 that would allow no more than one hour of screen time each school day for elementary students.—
Nuria Martinez-Keel,
Oklahoma Voice,
12 Feb. 2026
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Yazmin Ramirez brought her three children, who are in elementary or middle school, with no sewing experience to the class.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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More intriguing, though, is the strategy underpinning Tulah’s rollout, which upends the blueprint deployed by most operators in this sector.—
Mark Ellwood,
Robb Report,
14 Feb. 2026
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Industry insiders explained how the assortment of signals and models underpinning the algorithms are helping the sector navigate precious metals’ wild ride.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, Brooklyn posted the league’s best defensive rating in December while he was sidelined, reinforcing a direction that emphasized versatility, ball movement and defensive consistency.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
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Another option patients may pursue is to slowly taper off the drugs over about three to six months and to focus on reinforcing lifestyle choices that support goals for overall health and weight maintenance.—
Amy J. Sheer,
The Conversation,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underlying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlying. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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