1
as in supported
to lie underneath
A layer of rock underlies the topsoil.
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2
as in grounded
to form the basis or foundation of (something, such as an idea)
The assumption that underlies their argument is faulty.
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of underlay
This conviction underlay the Victorian workhouses in 19th-century England that Charles Dickens critiqued through his novels.
—
Colin Gordon,
The Conversation,
29 May 2025
There are still cheerleaders who say H.W. and Clinton’s top-tax-rate increases underlay the 1990s boom and budget surpluses.
—
Brian Domitrovic,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2025
There was another story that underlay the peace negotiations, and that was the story of the love between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter.
—
Lawrence Wright,
The New Yorker,
29 Dec. 2024
The consumer welfare philosophy also underlay U.S. negotiations that resulted in international antitrust cooperation agreements and in competition chapters within bilateral and multilateral trade agreements.
—
Alden Abbott,
Forbes,
26 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for underlay
Colin Gordon,
The Conversation,
29 May 2025
There are still cheerleaders who say H.W. and Clinton’s top-tax-rate increases underlay the 1990s boom and budget surpluses.
—
Brian Domitrovic,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2025
There was another story that underlay the peace negotiations, and that was the story of the love between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter.
—
Lawrence Wright,
The New Yorker,
29 Dec. 2024
The consumer welfare philosophy also underlay U.S. negotiations that resulted in international antitrust cooperation agreements and in competition chapters within bilateral and multilateral trade agreements.
—
Alden Abbott,
Forbes,
26 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for underlay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlay
Verb
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For more than 30 years, Alpert Jewish Family Service has supported Holocaust survivors through its Holocaust Survivor Assistance Program.
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Over the years, Kelce and Swift have supported one another at concerts and football games, with the hitmaker even being present when her beau won a Super Bowl ring in February 2024.
Verb
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The two daredevils who scaled the spire of the Empire State Building while the world watched have been grounded by the New York Police Department and are now the targets of a criminal investigation.
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The technology-bilingualism argument is neurologically grounded and observationally compelling, but the causal chain from prefrontal developmental timing to technological rupture to career outcomes has not been formally tested.
Verb
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In February 2025, a state appeals court upheld the jury’s verdict, ruling that Missouri’s laws requiring companies to warn of dangers are not preempted by federal law.
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This week, the court ruled by a 5-4 vote against the Republican National Committee and upheld state laws that allow for counting late-arriving mail ballots.
Verb
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In Wednesday's hearing, DHS said that a law established this year helped create a team that would provide resources to patients who experience disruptions in care.
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The bill also established new borrowing caps for parents and graduate students who take out loans, and imposed new restrictions for Pell Grants, among other measures.
Verb
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The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.
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Sometimes, were stymied because the conduct is based, the servers are based, outside of certainly Manhattan, but in many instances outside the United States.
Verb
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The floors are being raised, the ceilings lifted, the structure reinforced with steel and concrete, and the open floor plan complemented by smart home technologies and high-performance internal systems.
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Goldman Sachs reinforced that view this week, initiating coverage with a buy rating and a $186 price target.
Verb
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But the success of those spinoffs are predicated on continuing interest in the franchise, and season three of the initial spinoff, House of the Dragon, just premiered on Sunday.
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And yet both films are mysteries of a sort, predicated on hidden identities, distant tragedies, lost loved ones, and a whimsical element of time travel.
Cite this Entry
“Underlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlay. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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