undergirds

present tense third-person singular of undergird
as in sustains
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 undergirds Less apparent, though, is the dramatic shift in domestic security doctrine that undergirds these efforts. — Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026 Makdisi and her husband’s decision to remain in Beirut through so many seasons of uncertainty—despite their ability to expatriate with relative ease—is the central tension that undergirds Beirut Fragments. — Literary Hub, 14 July 2026 Something more insidious undergirds the SEC’s proposal than its immediate effect on corporate behavior. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 This kind of Fred-and-Ginger-meets-Laurel-and-Hardy coordination, and the trust that undergirds it, provides the authenticity in a world of red-nosed artifice. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 June 2026 Recently, plans for data center buildouts have accelerated as growing adoption of large language models such as Chat GPT stokes demand for the infrastructure that undergirds them. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 11 May 2026 The second inaccuracy that undergirds this executive order is that there is rampant fraud in mail-in voting. — John E. Jones Iii, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026 Amid this vast landscape of solutions, no one can hope to find a precise microscopic configuration that undergirds our particular macroscopic world. — Quanta Magazine, 23 Mar. 2026 But changing a country, changing an entire regime, because Iran isn't just run by a strong man, there's an entire philosophy, a theocratic philosophy that undergirds the Iranian government. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undergirds
Verb
  • Her work reflects a deep commitment to standing with the people whose labor sustains communities across California.
    — The Sacramento Bee staff, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The lake creates a temperate microclimate that sustains one of the country’s most productive fruit-growing regions—and makes this the best possible place to forget a packed lunch.
    — Mike Norton, Midwest Living, 26 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The fact that hunting is a season — and not a year-round activity — supports this.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Though the pipeline hasn’t transported gas to Germany since 2022, the country’s far-right AfD supports resuming flows, which could allow US investors to profit.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Duchien finished with 249 yards on 23-for-32 passing and 92 yards on 14 carries.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Big plays boosted Roberts’ rushing totals to 211 yards on 24 carries with three TDs.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Some requests were for DeepSeek’s technology, a finding that bolsters assertions from Congress that the company is in bed with the CCP’s military and spying apparatus.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Self-awareness bolsters leadership while self-surveillance nearly always undermines it.
    — Carol Geffner, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

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

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