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underpinnings

noun

plural of underpinning
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

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 underpinnings Summary Toyota's new C-HR+ electric SUV signals a serious EV commitment, presenting a larger, sharper-looking model distinct from its hybrid counterpart, built on bZ4X underpinnings. — Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 However, the political underpinnings of that panic are rarely identified and challenged. — Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026 Otherwise, the underpinnings are perfectly sorted. — Utkarsh Sood june 27, New Atlas, 27 June 2026 Li is magnificently photographed throughout and is as alluring as the part demands, but Cat has no evident personality — nor does Flint, leaving Huston playing emotionally tortured but with no meaningful underpinnings. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026 In a post on X, Reeves underscored the ideological underpinnings to the ruling’s potential implications. — Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underpinnings
  1. foundations
  2. shores
  3. cornerstones
  4. pillars
  5. bases
  6. supports
  7. bedrocks
  8. reinforcements
Noun
  • The next chapter of AI belongs to the R&D aimed at foundations, and the need for it has never been greater.
    — Charles Yeomans, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Stephen Colbert doesn’t think the foundations of America have been shaken by the cancellation of The Late Show.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of foundations
Noun
  • The birds mostly divide their time between remote northern bogs and muddy South American shores.
    — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Yemen, with Perim at the center, is becoming another potential front line in the confrontation between Washington and Tehran, and a reminder that the consequences of its war no longer stop at its shores.
    — Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of shores
Noun
  • In the 1950s and 1960s, suburban malls were explicitly designed as community cornerstones, complete with bustling food courts, movie theaters, arcades, and a smorgasbord of shops.
    — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Released 20 years ago this week, the horror novel by Max Brooks quickly became one of the undisputed cornerstones of walking dead canon.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of cornerstones
Noun
  • Since 2023, Interparfums launched new extensions and collections to put in place pillars including Uomo, Just Cavalli and Marbleous.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Once inside, curved cherrywood ceilings and tree-like pillars tower over the tables, booths and bar for a cinematic effect.
    — Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of pillars
Noun
  • Efforts to save the trees Town workers have sought to save the trees by flooding their bases with water in an attempt to dilute the chemicals.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Mariners reliever Carlos Vargas (1-0) struck out Josh Lowe and Christian Moore — each on three pitches — with the bases loaded to end the bottom of the fifth, and Seattle pushed the lead to 7-2 on RBI singles by Canzone and Raleigh in the sixth.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of bases
Noun
  • Whether those supports prove durable may ultimately depend on whether companies continue to exceed already lofty expectations.
    — Alex Shahidi, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The trunk lid was reinforced and features a huge, adjustable carbon fiber wing mounted on trapezoidal supports.
    — Joel Feder, The Drive, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of supports
Noun
  • The costs of health insurance are pushing small businesses — beloved by politicians and the bedrocks of entire communities — to a financial cliff.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 7 July 2026
  • Hillary Rodham Clinton also reflect on the bedrocks of our democracy, including the Electoral College and the peaceful transfer of power.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 24 June 2026
Definition of bedrocks
Noun
  • Government reinforcements have also been sent toward Lahj and Abyan, also in the southwest, and to the front lines near Houthi positions, as well as toward the strategic western Red Sea coast, most of which is now under Houthi control.
    — Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Yemeni government forces have launched airstrikes targeting Houthi reinforcements west of Taiz, several residents of Mokha said, and the Yemeni government military has urged civilians to avoid roads between Taiz and Mokha.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of reinforcements

Browse Nearby Words

underpinning
underpinnings
underpins
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Cite this Entry

“Underpinnings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underpinnings. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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