underpins

present tense third-person singular of underpin
as in sustains
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 underpins There are also three fixes for the Kernel, the engine that underpins the operating system. David Phelan, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Yet both underscore a defining characteristic of American democracy – the delicate yet shifting equilibrium among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches that underpins the business of governing. The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2026 The drive to define the face as a data point, something to be grasped and controlled, underpins the bureaucracy of the modern nation-state, in which faces are surveyed, categorized, and stored in digital banks. Cal Revely-Calder, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 Hollywood shouldn’t worry too much about generative AI — the transformer architecture that underpins AI models that can build images, videos, and songs from a single text prompt. Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 26 June 2026 Perhaps his long, not-so-scenic route to the national team underpins the sense that trusting him to be a major performer has not come easily to coach Julian Nagelsmann. Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 21 June 2026 The universe built for the manga – its characters, factions, and lore – also underpins Azuki TCG, the company’s trading card game, which topped $1 million in direct-to-player presales before its retail release. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 June 2026 Leonardo was granted the patent for the technology that underpins SignalTrace two years ago. Adam Ismail, The Drive, 17 June 2026 The company hopes those benchmarks can serve as the foundation for a futures market, much as West Texas Intermediate crude oil underpins energy derivatives. Yun Li, CNBC, 16 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underpins
Verb
  • That requires attacking the system that sustains Russian forces—not just the armies on the front lines.
    David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • What starts as a series that aims to subvert the heist genre at every turn – amped with thrilling life-or-death stakes, family dynamics, and explosive action – gives birth to an exploration of what drives us, sustains us, and ultimately destroys us.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • Update a profile photo or choose one small habit that supports your body and mood.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2026
  • Tulloss said his organization supports creating a pathway to citizenship for the city’s undocumented immigrants.
    Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • But Kimball House’s award-winning bar program more than carries its own weight.
    Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
  • Tianwen-2 carries both a touch-and-go sampling system and an anchor-and-attach mechanism equipped with drills for collecting surface material.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • This 31% Prime Day discount only bolsters that recommendation.
    Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 26 June 2026
  • Recent news also bolsters your relevance and placement in AI search results, which is important since half of B2B buyers start their purchasing journey in an AI chatbot.
    Heather Kelly, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • The ruling upholds laws in 30 states that allow at least some ballots to arrive after Election Day, including ballots from military voters and Americans who live overseas.
    Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • The ruling upholds Illinois law, which allows mail-in ballots postmarked — or personally attested to — by Election Day to be counted up to two weeks afterward.
    Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Underpins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underpins. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on underpins

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