undergirding

present participle of undergird
as in sustaining
to hold up or serve as a foundation for the theory of evolution undergirds virtually all of modern biology

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of undergirding Gallego’s sweeping proposals certainly look like the policy engine undergirding a 2028 presidential campaign. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026 The paradox is at the heart of the magical thinking undergirding our prison culture. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2026 This week, Ars hosted a live discussion with Ross Scott about the Stop Killing Games movement and its ongoing efforts to ensure that games remain playable even after the original publisher shuts down the online servers undergirding them. — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026 The gain helps cement Microsoft’s Azure as a leading cloud giant behind Amazon Web Services, and as one of the most prominent providers of the infrastructure undergirding the AI era. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 29 July 2026 Beyond the commercial aspect, the assumptions undergirding death positivity have begun to feel nearly as outdated as putting lipstick on a corpse. — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 But for hardcore believers, this didn’t mean that the philosophy undergirding the Soviet experiment was wrong. — Literary Hub, 21 July 2026 But there are key threads undergirding it. — Megan Feringa, New York Times, 17 May 2026 OpenAI is at the heart of a web of deals undergirding the artificial intelligence boom that has helped power the entire stock market higher. — Rob Wile, NBC news, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undergirding
Verb
  • God is present now, and there could never be a future moment when His sustaining presence is absent.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The next step is sustaining that work through the heavier demands of a season.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Ahead of the premiere’s conclusion, Variety exclusively reported that Neon’s awards campaign for the film will include Garfield and Rylance competing in the supporting actor category and Borisov campaigning in lead actor.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Service is low-key but practical, with staff supporting both wellness programming and basic logistics like airport pickups.
    — CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • An ammunition depot was hit, as were a bulk carrier in the Chornomorsk port carrying dual-use goods and port infrastructure in Izmail, the ministry said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • As the hundreds of thousands of people made their way down the narrow roads following the politician, a few rerouted into the industry event, still carrying big flags and with faces lit up with hope.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The new mRNA vaccine has shown very good promise with bolstering immune response.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Rough Draft is launching a newsletter and print edition in Athens, bolstering the amount of dedicated local reporting in Georgia’s sixth-largest city.
    — Savannah Sicurella, AJC.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • These requirements differ fundamentally from those underpinning most existing data strategies, and the gap is widening faster than leaders realize.
    — Richard Clough, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Hammer presents these economic theories as stone-cold truths without acknowledging the rather obvious ideological agenda underpinning his thinking.
    — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Kathleen Lord-Jones, an aviation cabin safety expert from Robson Forensic, explained the meticulous process of upholding food safety practices, from kitchen to tray table.
    — Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 12 Sep. 2026
  • And neither were the co-hosts, who felt their fun, feel-good, not-that-serious event was suddenly being accused of upholding white supremacy.
    — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Undergirding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undergirding. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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