underpins

verb

present tense third-person singular of underpin
as in sustains
to hold up or serve as a foundation for the central beliefs that underpin a free society

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 underpins The breakthrough underpins modern drug development, because mirror-image versions of the same molecule can behave differently in the body — and can even produce different smells. — Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026 New data from Atlantic Council researchers Jessie Yin and Lize de Kruijf shared first with Semafor, shows the greenback still underpins most global trade and foreign-exchange transactions. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026 The key 10-year Treasury yield, which underpins the cost of financing debt and taking out mortgage rates and can influence economic activity, just hit its highest level since 2002. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026 Yann LeCun won the 2018 Turing Award—computer science’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize—along with fellow AI researchers Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio for their work on deep learning, the neural network technology that underpins today’s AI boom. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026 Yet the structural refrain that underpins this wonder of a book always returns to love. — Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026 Access to exceptional roughs underpins the entire collection. — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026 It's based on the company's MQB platform, which underpins the T-Cross subcompact SUV and the Polo hatchback. — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026 Bouaddi’s ability to dribble calmly through pressure underpins a more general swagger to his game. — David Ornstein, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underpins
  1. sustains
  2. supports
  3. carries
  4. bolsters
  5. upholds
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
Definition of sustains
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
  • 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
Definition of carries
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
Definition of bolsters
Verb
  • In February, President Pamela Whitten and the board of trustees supported and adopted the Chicago Principles, a set of guidelines regarding how the university upholds its free speech environment.
    — Cate Charron, IndyStar, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The letter was also sent to Harry and Meghan’s team and upholds Queen Elizabeth’s wishes when Harry and Meghan stepped back from their royal roles in 2020.
    — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of upholds

Browse Nearby Words

underpinnings
underpins
underplay
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Cite this Entry

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

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