underpinned

past tense of underpin
as in sustained
to hold up or serve as a foundation for the central beliefs that underpin a free society

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 underpinned China is looking to tighten biotechnology exports, but will leave the door open for licensing deals with foreign drugmakers that have underpinned its position as a growing pharmaceutical powerhouse, Bloomberg Law reports. — Ed Silverman, STAT, 16 Oct. 2026 Chelsea have attempted 11 shots inside the first seven minutes of games, more than any other side, but their fast starts have also been underpinned by a clinical ruthlessness in front of goal. — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026 Yet that formula, underpinned by a staff-to-guest ratio of 6 to 1, proved intoxicating. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026 And among recent film offerings are movie shot locally as the Garden State enjoys a Hollywood production boom underpinned by film tax credits and other state incentives and local hires. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026 The Southern economy was underpinned by ports that traded in cotton, rice, sugar, tobacco – and enslaved people. — Ashley Walters, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026 Milan — The skirt to Prada is what the trench coat is to Burberry and the Bar jacket is to Dior; a defining silhouette that has underpinned every collection since co-creative director Miuccia Prada took over her family business in the late 1970s. — Scarlett Conlon, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026 Nearly $2 billion from venture capital investors has underpinned Zipline’s global business that has grown from flying medical supplies to food delivery for Uber. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026 That theory underpinned the bill, but Newsom warned that proceeding before federal courts established its legality was a risk. — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underpinned
Verb
  • This very serious injury was what was sustained by several riders after riding the X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California, including two who required emergency brain surgery.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Williams originally sustained the injury late in Chicago’s Week 2 loss to Minnesota, pulling up lame on a fourth-quarter scramble toward the end zone before being carted off in visible tears.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The original show’s international profile has now been further bolstered by its shoot in Japan, where the series has become such a huge hit that setting part of Season 7 in Tokyo was a natural next step.
    — Ed Meza, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Such moves have been bolstered by tens of billions of dollars in new funding from Congress.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • And while Hill is paying a half-million-dollar price for his battery, the judgment falls well short of expectations the plaintiff may have carried into the start of the trial.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • To ensure the result stood up to scrutiny, the DS's charging port was sealed before departure, and Verstaen carried two GPS trackers during the ride.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The demonstration marked the completion of the project’s first phase, supported by funding from the US Department of Energy.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The force, which rose to a peak of about 5,000 troops over the summer, has supported arrest operations, patrolled city streets and neighborhoods, and participated in cleanup efforts.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The Republican administration says the 4th Circuit decision conflicts with rulings by at least three other circuits and, if upheld, will hamper the government's ability to deport immigrants with terrorism ties in many other cases.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • That decision, upheld on appeal, put the onus on the Continuum of Care, an amorphous entity with a board and open membership that had long functioned as an appendage of LAHSA but actually had the statutory power to hire or fire the agency.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Underpinned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underpinned. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster