underlying
adjective
un·der·ly·ing
ˌən-dər-ˈlī-iŋ 
1
a
: lying beneath or below
the underlying rock is shale
b
: basic, fundamental
an investigation of the underlying issues
2
: evident only on close inspection : implicit
3
: anterior and prior in claim
underlying mortgage
4
: of or being present in deep structure
underlying word order
Examples of underlying in a Sentence
the ocean and the underlying rock
the underlying differences between democracy and dictatorship
Recent Examples on the Web
The authors note that this outcome is counterintuitive, as it is generally assumed that reactions accelerate when more reactants can reach the catalyst more quickly, pointing instead to a more nuanced underlying principle governing nanoscale catalysis.
—
Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 3 May 2026
The struggle to accurately model these phenomena means that despite growing observational evidence of violent eruptions, the underlying physical mechanisms remain poorly understood.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 3 May 2026
Encryption, anonymization, and tight controls help, but do not fix the underlying integration gap.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 2 May 2026
Whale biologists generally hold that a whale that repeatedly strands itself usually has severe underlying health issues; even towing it back out to deeper waters may not keep it from starving or drowning.
—Jessica Camille Aguirre, New Yorker, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for underlying
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Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 3 May 2026
The struggle to accurately model these phenomena means that despite growing observational evidence of violent eruptions, the underlying physical mechanisms remain poorly understood.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 3 May 2026
Encryption, anonymization, and tight controls help, but do not fix the underlying integration gap.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 2 May 2026
Whale biologists generally hold that a whale that repeatedly strands itself usually has severe underlying health issues; even towing it back out to deeper waters may not keep it from starving or drowning.
—Jessica Camille Aguirre, New Yorker, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for underlying
Cite this Entry
“Underlying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underlying. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underlying
adjective
un·der·ly·ing
ˌən-dər-ˌlī-iŋ
1
: lying under or below
the underlying rock
Medical Definition
underlying
adjective
un·der·ly·ing
-ˌlī-iŋ
: serving as a basis or cause (as of secondary symptoms)
the underlying brain malformation that caused the hydrocephalus—R. M. Henig
R. M. HenigLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
