as in basic
of or relating to the simplest facts or theories of a subject
the underlying differences between democracy and dictatorship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in supporting
to lie underneath
A layer of rock underlies the topsoil.
Related Words
2
as in grounding
to form the basis or foundation of (something, such as an idea)
The assumption that underlies their argument is faulty.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of underlying
Dr. Jeffrey Singer, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2026
While other chatbots have faced similar issues, xAI has repeatedly landed in hot water for misuse or apparent flaws in Grok’s design or underlying technology.
—Samantha Subin,lora Kolodny, CNBC, 2 Jan. 2026
Jack Perry, The Providence Journal, 8 Jan. 2026
The underlying stats aren’t great (Penix ranked 25th in EPA per dropback across nine starts in 2025) and his health is no guarantee after an ACL tear in late November — the fifth season-ending injury in his last eight years of football.
—Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Adjective
Separately, patients may consent to the withdrawal or withholding of life-sustaining treatment, allowing death to occur from the underlying illness.
—Verb
Avoid contact with others during that time, especially older adults and people with underlying health conditions.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlying
Adjective
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At that point, the operator would recite the most intimate details of a patient’s health history to hook her before launching into a few basic screening questions.—
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Ross argued that allowing local police to provide basic crowd control — rather than restricting coordination — could have reduced risks during recent confrontations.—
Verb
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If your money wasn’t involved in supporting the Dallas Cowboys show, all of it may be funny, instead of just flat, sad, and a bad joke.—
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The companies said the robotaxi is designed to deliver a premium passenger experience while supporting large-scale autonomous deployment.—
Verb
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Having something familiar to read, especially during turbulence or delays, can be grounding and comforting.—
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The expert explains that the generous scale of longer and wider planks visually elongates a room, enhancing light and proportion while also grounding a space with natural authenticity.—
Adjective
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There, everyone comes and goes on longboats that have awnings, a row of rudimentary seats, and a small outboard motor.—
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The medical system provides only the most rudimentary care, and hospitals have little to no medicine.—
Verb
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Vrabel, who played alongside Brady for Bill Belichick before establishing himself as a coach in Tennessee, led them to a 14-3 record while coaxing a possible MVP performance out of now-sophomore QB Drake Maye.—
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Here is a copy of the complaint law enforcement filed establishing the basis for his arrest.—
Adjective
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The educators at elementary, middle and high schools across the district received honorary titles as chairs of teaching excellence for one year in their respective subjects.—
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Tutoring elementary students is one of the best opportunities to build meaningful community relations, program officials say.—
Verb
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Advertisement But Kedrosky is deeply worried about the financial structures underpinning the industry.—
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The investigation underpinning both indictments was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Salinas Police Department and the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.—
Verb
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From that vantage point, the economy appears to move past each disruption in turn, reinforcing the idea that these are temporary events.—
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The projects are expected to provide thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of long-term operational jobs while reinforcing the American nuclear supply chain.—
Cite this Entry
“Underlying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlying. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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