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
Ryan Brennan
may 6, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 May 2026
The latest Gemma models are built on the same underlying technology that powers Google’s frontier Gemini AI, but they’re tuned to run locally.
—ArsTechnica, 6 May 2026
Ryan Brennan
may 8, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026
Even so, the underlying physics remains poorly resolved – in particular, how energy levels align at the electrode–HCM–perovskite interface is still debated.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Adjective
Hunnes warns that adaptogens can interact with prescriptions and mask underlying issues.
—Ryan Brennan
may 6, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 May 2026
The latest Gemma models are built on the same underlying technology that powers Google’s frontier Gemini AI, but they’re tuned to run locally.
—ArsTechnica, 6 May 2026
Verb
Mold returns when the underlying moisture problem isn’t fixed.
—Ryan Brennan
may 8, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026
Even so, the underlying physics remains poorly resolved – in particular, how energy levels align at the electrode–HCM–perovskite interface is still debated.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlying
Adjective
-
After years of seeing Spirit lure leisure travellers, the major airlines, led by Delta, responded with humble basic-economy fares of their own.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
Why economists cared so much The basic facts of the late 1990s and early 2000s are that the United States was running large deficits.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Expanding access to high-quality early education, supporting the workforce behind it, and giving families clearer information is all part of the solution.—
Tina Dello Russo,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
-
In general, Korean skin care is often formulated with lower-irritation potential and barrier-supporting ingredients, which can be helpful if your skin concerns include dull skin or working toward a more even skin tone—especially for those with sensitive skin.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
9 May 2026
Verb
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That means grounding every AI effort in a clear priority.—
Katy George,
Time,
11 May 2026
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After striking out and then grounding out in his first two at-bats against the Dodgers' star, the second baseman stepped to the dish in the bottom of the fifth inning with base runners on the corners.—
Mark Harris OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Embracing a visual vocabulary of the lowbrow and the rudimentary is a tried-and-true method of rebelling against a culture that feels vapid or corporatized.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
6 May 2026
-
The builders demonstrated a rudimentary understanding of engineering, deliberately placing each bone to exploit its natural geometry.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
Verb
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His first year has been one of adjustment, centered on establishing himself in the role and turning his American roots into assets, along with his time in Latin America.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
-
Even so, the coincidence feels like an anointing, long overdue for someone who has spent decades in just about every beloved franchise, quietly establishing himself as the most important—or at least prolific—person in genre entertainment.—
James Grebey,
Time,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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The law also creates a discipline process for preschool and elementary students where there was none before.—
Stacker,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
-
Yet many of its students aren’t demonstrating even an elementary grasp of free speech.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Central to the thesis underpinning superior earnings growth is the idea that artificial intelligence is a 'secular' trend, and is therefore shielded from the peaks and troughs of the economic cycle.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
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The pricing logic underpinning that projection is worth understanding.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Verb
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This begins with reinforcing clear policies that protect student access to education regardless of immigration status, while expanding counseling, legal resource referrals and family outreach to address fear and confusion related to immigration enforcement.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
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Following the downfall of Zhang and his lieutenant in January, an editorial published by the official PLA Daily newspaper accused the two former military leaders of undermining Xi’s ultimate authority while also reinforcing Xi’s message of zero-tolerance on corruption.—
Steven Jiang,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underlying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlying. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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