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.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of underlie
On the other hand, the penalty for harboring or aiding a felon can vary, depending on the severity of the underlying felony committed by the person being aided.
—
Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 9 July 2025
Neither of the children had underlying health conditions, the Texas health department said.
—Nicole Brown Chau, CBS News, 9 July 2025
Heat has a particularly pernicious impact on people with underlying health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and respiratory problems.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 9 July 2025
The inference here is that this doesn’t change who is actually buying and holding the US Treasuries, the big banks in this case, but rather, this shifts the underlying deposit bases of the banks.
—Steven Dudash, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for underlie
Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 9 July 2025
Neither of the children had underlying health conditions, the Texas health department said.
—Nicole Brown Chau, CBS News, 9 July 2025
Heat has a particularly pernicious impact on people with underlying health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and respiratory problems.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 9 July 2025
The inference here is that this doesn’t change who is actually buying and holding the US Treasuries, the big banks in this case, but rather, this shifts the underlying deposit bases of the banks.
—Steven Dudash, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for underlie
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlie
Verb
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Please consider supporting local journalism and getting unlimited digital access.—
Leah Olajide,
Freep.com,
25 July 2025
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The satellites are manufactured in Kirkland, Washington at a pace of five per day, which is fast enough to support the needs put in place by the FCC.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 July 2025
Verb
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The plan is the department's effort to establish a clear vision while seeking community input to create a roadmap for the department over the next five years.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
24 July 2025
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While people had always moved between the U.S.-Mexico border, migration increased exponentially after the U.S. government, facing a labor shortage in World War II, established the Bracero program, which brought millions of Mexican contract workers to the U.S.—
Jimmy Patino,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 July 2025
Verb
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Purpose is what steadies you when the world, or your own mind, presents every reason to stop.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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President Donald Trump’s decision Friday to halt trade talks with Canada threatened to derail Wall Street’s run to a record, but the market steadied after the S&P 500 briefly turned negative.—
Damian J. Troise,
Chicago Tribune,
27 June 2025
Verb
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The actor appeared to have been trying to ground himself, while Kirby, who has also been filmed initiating some of the physical contact herself, has only spoken positively about Pascal and has not indicated any discomfort with his actions.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
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Layer in woven jute or sisal rugs for grounding texture without overpowering the space.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 July 2025
Verb
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But in a 28-page ruling issued Tuesday, Judge Derek Sweeting upheld the lower court’s decision ordering his extradition to stand trial.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
29 July 2025
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It was upheld in several legal challenges and underpinned subsequent greenhouse gas regulations.—
Valerie Volcovici,
USA Today,
29 July 2025
Verb
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As governments and large enterprises modernize their finance systems, there’s growing momentum to move beyond simple cloud migration—to embed AI in ways that reinforce trust.—
Rahul Bhatia,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
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This response reinforces the narrative that has defined her post-WWE career.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Verb
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Just inside the doors of the employee entrance to Ford Motor Co.'s Dearborn Truck Plant is a scoreboard that looms high above a double set of steep stairs that carry the 3,600 employees up to the factory floor where the company builds its best-selling vehicle: the F-150 pickup.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
Freep.com,
30 July 2025
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But another bill, HB 3520 by Rep. David Spiller, R-Jacksboro, to lessen the amount of liability insurance coverage rideshare drivers need to carry, took up a whole lot more time.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
Verb
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The Trump administration wants to overturn a key 2009 Environmental Protection Agency finding that underpins much of the federal government's actions to rein in climate change.—
Jeff Brady,
NPR,
24 July 2025
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What makes these emerging threats particularly severe is their direct assault on the critical infrastructure and services that underpin public safety.—
Dara Warn,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underlie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlie. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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