1
2
as in to establish
to form the basis or foundation of (something, such as an idea)
The assumption that underlies their argument is faulty.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of underlie
The underlying tension between the two countries may still persist.
—
Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 5 June 2025
Other underlying causes of his death included congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and hypertension, per the death certificate.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 5 June 2025
Beyond the underlying themes of family and deception, Banks just wants audiences to be entertained.
—Matt Minton, Variety, 4 June 2025
In a recent review paper, our team summarized how chronic stress is a hidden but powerful factor underlying cognitive aging, or the speed at which your cognitive performance slows down with age.
—Jennifer E. Graham-Engeland, The Conversation, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for underlie
Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 5 June 2025
Other underlying causes of his death included congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and hypertension, per the death certificate.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 5 June 2025
Beyond the underlying themes of family and deception, Banks just wants audiences to be entertained.
—Matt Minton, Variety, 4 June 2025
In a recent review paper, our team summarized how chronic stress is a hidden but powerful factor underlying cognitive aging, or the speed at which your cognitive performance slows down with age.
—Jennifer E. Graham-Engeland, The Conversation, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for underlie
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlie
Verb
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Arafat would similarly reject peace with Israel, support terrorism, and murder rivals and critics.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
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The new numbers might be a little confusing at first, especially for the period of overlap where Apple is actively supporting (say) macOS 14, macOS 15, and macOS 26.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 June 2025
Verb
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In spite of his ability to carry the ball forward — a point of difference from his fellow midfielders — Willock has never quite established himself as integral, at least in part because of his struggles with injury.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
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Over the course of his prolific, three-decade career, the American filmmaker has established a signature aesthetic and working style that could convince any actor to beg him for a part — almost any actor.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
5 June 2025
Verb
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The Croat, who played for The Old Lady in the 1990s and 2000s, steadied the ship in Turin and guided the club to fourth spot in Serie A, securing vital and lucrative Champions League football ahead of next season.—
Emmet Gates,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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After letting go of the ball, Vásquez tripped and tried to steady himself over the course of many steps backward before giving in and somersaulting backward in the grass in foul territory.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 May 2025
Verb
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After another ball, Yelich grounded a ball up the middle that would have scored Chourio had second baseman Jake Cronenworth not ran into the grass to backhand the ball.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 June 2025
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Last summer, Walmart grounded drones in Salt Lake City, Tampa and Phoenix, citing a desire to hone in on the Dallas-Forth Worth metro area.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
6 June 2025
Verb
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One of the best ways to uphold network connectivity is to have multiple backup services in place that activate in the event of an outage.—
Sander Barens,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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The justices ruled 7-2 to uphold a Biden administration rule that regulates unserialized firearms called ghost guns.—
Melissa Quinn
June 9,
CBS News,
9 June 2025
Verb
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As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
6 June 2025
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The company’s shares have risen more than 7% this week as Meta’s deal to buy nuclear power from Constellation Energy has reinforced the view that demand is increasing as the tech sector hunts for electricity for its data centers.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Israeli forces early Monday detained an aid boat bound for Gaza while carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists.—
Bradford Betz , Yonat Friling,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2025
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The 21-year-old champion was photographed carrying her trophy in a full Miu Miu outfit, pairing pieces from the brand’s spring 2024 collection with metallic sneakers from her upcoming collaboration with New Balance.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
9 June 2025
Verb
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Because delivering the digital infrastructure that underpins a smart city isn’t a short-term task.—
Brendan O’Reilly,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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Dollar Tree’s steady growth could underpin a breakout for the stock, according to JPMorgan.—
Brian Evans,
CNBC,
5 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underlie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlie. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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