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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of underlies
Notably, this same mechanism underlies cocaine’s effects, highlighting its potency.
—
Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Protein aggregation underlies devastating disorders such as Alzheimer’s plaques, Parkinson’s Lewy bodies, and misfolded proteins in cancer.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
Dysfunctional lipid storage underlies a wide range of health conditions, with obesity and diabetes just two of them.
—New Atlas, 28 Aug. 2025
The idea that the past is the key to the present underlies all sciences that deal with time, such as geology, evolutionary biology, and ecology.
—Ellen Wohl
august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
That tension underlies pretty much every celebrity profile, and films like Almost Famous and, as the gothic quality of Moritz von Stuelpnagel’s directing will very much remind you, Sunset Boulevard.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
Either way, an involuntary act, unlike the struggle to be, to exist, that underlies the need to write.
—Louise Glück, The New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2025
The goal was to figure out whether training in the cold would boost mitochondria levels, which is one of the key adaptations that underlies aerobic fitness.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 17 Dec. 2024
This basic setup underlies transformers in a wide range of sizes.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Dec. 2024
Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Protein aggregation underlies devastating disorders such as Alzheimer’s plaques, Parkinson’s Lewy bodies, and misfolded proteins in cancer.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
Dysfunctional lipid storage underlies a wide range of health conditions, with obesity and diabetes just two of them.
—New Atlas, 28 Aug. 2025
The idea that the past is the key to the present underlies all sciences that deal with time, such as geology, evolutionary biology, and ecology.
—Ellen Wohl
august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
That tension underlies pretty much every celebrity profile, and films like Almost Famous and, as the gothic quality of Moritz von Stuelpnagel’s directing will very much remind you, Sunset Boulevard.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
Either way, an involuntary act, unlike the struggle to be, to exist, that underlies the need to write.
—Louise Glück, The New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2025
The goal was to figure out whether training in the cold would boost mitochondria levels, which is one of the key adaptations that underlies aerobic fitness.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 17 Dec. 2024
This basic setup underlies transformers in a wide range of sizes.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlies
Verb
-
In short, civility supports innovation, and innovation drives success.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Retail traders differ—100% of their trades lack customers, which supports the $0 gross receipts position.—
Robert Green,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Alan is a married man tempted by things that could be, but his friendship with Roger grounds the story in a rare portrayal of Black male vulnerability.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Those stronger gradients boost efficiency and grounds osmotic generation in existing systems rather than the lab.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The show never establishes any real parameters.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
State law already establishes a minimum age of 16 for riding Class 3 e-bikes, which can reach higher maximum speeds.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Research reinforces this insight.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
That distinction keeps you compliant and reinforces trust with fans.—
Geoff Robins,
Rolling Stone,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Dell’s downward-firing speakers, positioned underneath each side of the chassis, project decent sound quality if the laptop rests on a solid surface, not your lap.—
Charles Jefferies,
PC Magazine,
18 Sep. 2025
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Key Growth Drivers The narrative rests on several key factors.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Social Security Administration bases its COLA each year on average annual increases in the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W) from July through September.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Bing bases its results on Copilot AI, which takes advantage of OpenAI GPT models.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
11 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underlies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlies. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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