1
as in foundations
an immaterial thing upon which something else rests
the underpinnings of the theory have recently been called into question
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in shores
a structure that holds up or serves as a foundation for something else
the underpinnings of the bridge were seriously damaged in the collision
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of underpinnings
The two share mechanical underpinnings, including their powertrains and most fundamental off-road hardware.
—
ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Trump has alluded to the political underpinnings of the influx.
—Cleve R. Wootson Jr. The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 25 Mar. 2026
And yet, while the NCAA Tournament retains its traditional trappings and brackets and upsets keep the country entranced, the underpinnings of college basketball are totally different.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 23 Mar. 2026
The movie does attempt to gesture at class and race as thematic underpinnings (the maids trapped in The Virgil are mostly non-white, while the villains are rich Caucasians), but like the story and action at large, these go pretty much nowhere, and feel like obligatory symbols.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
The jawy little hammerhead camper now rolls out in its sixth iteration, combining the same ultra-rugged galvanized steel underpinnings with a roomier, more comfortable camping pod.
—New Atlas, 17 Mar. 2026
The title of the park, which will likely move to a more permanent location in 2027, hints at its feminist underpinnings.
—Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
All that said, heavy underpinnings and armor plating cost weight.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 12 Mar. 2026
His research focuses on the neural and psychological underpinnings of visual perception and mental imagery.
—Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 26 Feb. 2026
ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Trump has alluded to the political underpinnings of the influx.
—Cleve R. Wootson Jr. The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 25 Mar. 2026
And yet, while the NCAA Tournament retains its traditional trappings and brackets and upsets keep the country entranced, the underpinnings of college basketball are totally different.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 23 Mar. 2026
The movie does attempt to gesture at class and race as thematic underpinnings (the maids trapped in The Virgil are mostly non-white, while the villains are rich Caucasians), but like the story and action at large, these go pretty much nowhere, and feel like obligatory symbols.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
The jawy little hammerhead camper now rolls out in its sixth iteration, combining the same ultra-rugged galvanized steel underpinnings with a roomier, more comfortable camping pod.
—New Atlas, 17 Mar. 2026
The title of the park, which will likely move to a more permanent location in 2027, hints at its feminist underpinnings.
—Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
All that said, heavy underpinnings and armor plating cost weight.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 12 Mar. 2026
His research focuses on the neural and psychological underpinnings of visual perception and mental imagery.
—Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underpinnings
Noun
-
Rather than relying on separate block foundations, the design uses a single flowing geometry that wraps around trees to define the interior and exterior spaces.—
Bridget Borgobello
May 02,
New Atlas,
2 May 2026
-
Life forms of increasing complexity filled the seas, providing the evolutionary foundations for nearly every phylum alive today.—
Marlowe Starling,
Quanta Magazine,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The Dalmore is a Highland distillery founded by Sir Alexander Matheson in 1839 on the scenic shores of the Cromarty Firth.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
29 Apr. 2026
-
For years, local conservationists, including the Lake County Audubon Society, have been making a concerted push to bolster the once abundant but now endangered piping plover population across the Great Lakes shores and North Atlantic coast.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Loris Karius and January arrival Edin Dzeko have been cornerstones of this resurgence.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Could both be cornerstones for the future to turn this franchise around?—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The refined contemporary interiors are punctuated throughout with terrazzo floors, warm wood paneling, and rough-hewn stone pillars.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
4 May 2026
-
That’s when tectonic plates first pushed them out of the sea, but the shaping of the pillars via coastal erosion only occurred over the last few thousand years.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Practical supports, like childcare and debt relief, are also essential to ensure more residents can fully participate in the economy.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
-
Indeterminate tomatoes grow big and need sturdy supports or trellises to keep them in line.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Baltimore’s defense received reinforcements both in the trenches and in the secondary.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The military site at Kapciamiestis covering some 14,600 hectares will allow battalion and brigade-size drills on the ground at a critical land link used by the alliance to send reinforcements to its eastern flank.—
Milda Seputyte,
Bloomberg,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
One of the bedrocks of Bednar’s coaching philosophy is breaking the season into 10-game segments.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Better yet, those bedrocks are as plentiful as ever.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Sleeves, braces and more available.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
As a child, Smith used crutches and leg braces.—
John Beifuss,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underpinnings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underpinnings. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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