underlies

verb

present tense third-person singular of underlie
1
as in supports
to lie underneath A layer of rock underlies the topsoil.

Related Words

Relevance
2
as in grounds
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 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 underlies Permafrost, a layer of ground made up of soil, rock and sediment, underlies nearly 15% of the land surface in the Northern Hemisphere. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 The same principle underlies brainwriting, a technique that reliably outperforms conventional brainstorming. — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 The same philosophy underlies a series of larger reforms already underway. — Bethany Mandel, The Washington Examiner, 16 Aug. 2026 This approach underlies the security of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum and, with RSA, helps secure modern internet traffic. — IEEE Spectrum, 7 July 2026 And that’s the question that underlies much of what’s onscreen in this perplexing, entertaining, frustrating picture. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 1 July 2026 But in making their arguments, the authors went further, addressing fundamental questions of politics by laying out the political theory that underlies that Constitution. — Jordan Cash, The Conversation, 8 June 2026 Training, both stressed, underlies all of it. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlies
  1. supports
  2. grounds
  3. establishes
  4. reinforces
  5. rests
  6. bases
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
Definition of supports
Verb
  • Stepping away for a walk, exercising or doing something hands-on reconnects you with your senses and grounds you in the present.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Orange blossom and Sicilian melon offer a juicy, tropical element while the vanilla milk grounds it with a hint of lactonic sweetness.
    — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of grounds
Verb
  • The contract also establishes a binding grievance procedure and additional pay for employees who take on extra duties or are required to work on-site during an emergency.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • California’s At-Will Rule Sets the Baseline California Labor Code section 2922 establishes the state’s general rule for employment without a specified term.
    — William Jones, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of establishes
Verb
  • Anton’s investment in The Creatives reinforces the financial strength of the group and provides additional access to equity financing.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The current situation in and around the Persian Gulf reinforces that tension because the threats facing Saudi Arabia are increasingly difficult to separate into discrete categories.
    — John Calabrese, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of reinforces
Verb
  • As Berg explained, the key to the players’ theory rests on signing away their rights to the NCAA.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Dyson’s reputation rests on reengineering mundane household products (vacuums, hair dryers and fans) around proprietary tech and premium pricing.
    — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of rests
Verb
  • This makes Kansas one of the few states that bases the requirement on payroll dollars rather than employee count.
    — Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Currently, the Social Security Administration bases its COLA each year on average annual increases in the CPI-W, or the index for urban wage earners, from July through September.
    — Medora Lee, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of bases

Browse Nearby Words

underlie
underlies
underline
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All