underlying
adjective
un·der·ly·ing
ˌən-dər-ˈlī-iŋ 
1
a
: lying beneath or below
the underlying rock is shale
b
: basic, fundamental
an investigation of the underlying issues
2
: evident only on close inspection : implicit
3
: anterior and prior in claim
underlying mortgage
4
: of or being present in deep structure
underlying word order
Examples of underlying in a Sentence
the ocean and the underlying rock
the underlying differences between democracy and dictatorship
Recent Examples on the Web
While the idea of being paralyzed can sound alarming, the underlying mechanism is actually a normal part of sleep for nearly everyone.
—
Daryl Austin, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Yampolskiy named the underlying paradox in his 2022 paper on AI unownability.
—Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Each is a different bet on the same underlying tradeoff between innovation pace, harm reduction, and national security.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 15 May 2026
The case forced the court to confront the underlying meaning of democracy.
—Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for underlying
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.
Daryl Austin, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Yampolskiy named the underlying paradox in his 2022 paper on AI unownability.
—Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Each is a different bet on the same underlying tradeoff between innovation pace, harm reduction, and national security.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 15 May 2026
The case forced the court to confront the underlying meaning of democracy.
—Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Cite this Entry
“Underlying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underlying. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underlying
adjective
un·der·ly·ing
ˌən-dər-ˌlī-iŋ
1
: lying under or below
the underlying rock
Medical Definition
underlying
adjective
un·der·ly·ing
-ˌlī-iŋ
: serving as a basis or cause (as of secondary symptoms)
the underlying brain malformation that caused the hydrocephalus—R. M. Henig
R. M. HenigLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
