1
as in supports
to lie underneath
A layer of rock underlies the topsoil.
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2
as in grounds
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 underlies
High-resistivity wafers enter the high-level injection regime more readily than low-resistivity ones, a physical characteristic that underlies their superior intrinsic potential for achieving high fill factors.
—
Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
Papouin’s team was studying changes at synapses that alter communication between neurons, a form of neuroplasticity that underlies ongoing shifts in thought and behavior.
—Ingrid Wickelgren, Quanta Magazine, 30 Jan. 2026
Zeus acting for his own pleasure underlies the evolutionary tales of small groups raiding foreign shores, carrying off women.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
The permafrost that underlies the island is rapidly thawing and destabilizing infrastructure, including the critical radar installation and runway at Thule, renamed Pituffik Space Base in 2022.
—Paul Bierman, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
And the Nazca plate, which underlies the eastern Pacific Ocean, also shapes the area’s tectonic scene.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 7 Jan. 2026
As the climate warms, permafrost – frozen rock and soil – which underlies the island, thaws.
—Paul Bierman, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Continue to build the foundation that underlies your life.
—Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 7 Jan. 2026
The invalidation of Crown grants underlies the Cowichan outcome.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 27 Dec. 2025
Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
Papouin’s team was studying changes at synapses that alter communication between neurons, a form of neuroplasticity that underlies ongoing shifts in thought and behavior.
—Ingrid Wickelgren, Quanta Magazine, 30 Jan. 2026
Zeus acting for his own pleasure underlies the evolutionary tales of small groups raiding foreign shores, carrying off women.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
The permafrost that underlies the island is rapidly thawing and destabilizing infrastructure, including the critical radar installation and runway at Thule, renamed Pituffik Space Base in 2022.
—Paul Bierman, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
And the Nazca plate, which underlies the eastern Pacific Ocean, also shapes the area’s tectonic scene.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 7 Jan. 2026
As the climate warms, permafrost – frozen rock and soil – which underlies the island, thaws.
—Paul Bierman, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Continue to build the foundation that underlies your life.
—Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 7 Jan. 2026
The invalidation of Crown grants underlies the Cowichan outcome.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 27 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlies
Verb
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Nexus One now supports job-aware observability, allowing operators to correlate network behavior directly with GPU workloads.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
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Strategic movement, however, preserves neuromuscular connections, supports healthy blood flow, and helps the body maintain strength and mobility.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The birds can navigate complex terrain, squeeze through tight spaces, and fly in weather that often grounds small drones.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
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Such reductions could drop the rolling decade average of releases below what’s required to provide the Lower Basin and Mexico their shares, and could give Arizona and its neighbors grounds to sue.—
Brandon Loomis,
AZCentral.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Senate Bill 1 also establishes the time frame for Medicaid eligibility redeterminations, and requires the secretary of the Family and Social Services Administration to transmit certain information to the federal government to prevent multiple state Medicaid enrollment.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
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The Lemon Grove City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday to adopt an urgency ordinance that establishes temporary protections for residential renters.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The stronger-than-expected jobs report reinforces the Federal Reserve's decision to hold rates steady at its meeting last month, marking its first pause after three consecutive cuts at the end of 2025, experts said.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
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The modern version of mindfulness just reinforces separation.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Mike understands that energy is the foundation on which everything else rests, from process uptime to jobs and regional stability.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
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In the end, no bicameral or parallel governing structure emerged, and power now rests solely with the prime minister and the cabinet, a fact Saint-Cyr acknowledged in his speech.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Canadian-British designer of Korean descent bases the operations of her fashion label in London, following a pattern the Princess of Wales has developed of supporting British brands over the years.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
5 Feb. 2026
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Hippocrates bases his explanation of epilepsy, that most perplexing of illnesses, on observation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underlies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlies. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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