1
as in supported
to lie underneath
A layer of rock underlies the topsoil.
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2
as in grounded
to form the basis or foundation of (something, such as an idea)
The assumption that underlies their argument is faulty.
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of underlay
This conviction underlay the Victorian workhouses in 19th-century England that Charles Dickens critiqued through his novels.
—
Colin Gordon, The Conversation, 29 May 2025
There are still cheerleaders who say H.W. and Clinton’s top-tax-rate increases underlay the 1990s boom and budget surpluses.
—Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
There was another story that underlay the peace negotiations, and that was the story of the love between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter.
—Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2024
The consumer welfare philosophy also underlay U.S. negotiations that resulted in international antitrust cooperation agreements and in competition chapters within bilateral and multilateral trade agreements.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for underlay
Colin Gordon, The Conversation, 29 May 2025
There are still cheerleaders who say H.W. and Clinton’s top-tax-rate increases underlay the 1990s boom and budget surpluses.
—Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
There was another story that underlay the peace negotiations, and that was the story of the love between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter.
—Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2024
The consumer welfare philosophy also underlay U.S. negotiations that resulted in international antitrust cooperation agreements and in competition chapters within bilateral and multilateral trade agreements.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for underlay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlay
Verb
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Menin has supported Wilson, Bottcher’s former chief of staff, who had his ex-boss’s blessing in the race.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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Other factors, including scars, bruising, ligature marks and signs of malnutrition, supported evidence of long-term abuse, the warrant affidavit said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Lead with calm confidence, but keep your claims grounded.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
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Dansby Swanson struck out, Pete Crow-Armstrong struck out — one of his four in the loss — and Miguel Amaya grounded out to Dreyer to end the threat.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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However, most of SB 4 was upheld by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Apr. 2026
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On Friday, the appeals court upheld a lower court’s ruling.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Canadian Radio-television Commission was established in 1968 as a federal agency to oversee broadcasting in Canada and in 1976 had its powers expanded to include telecommunications (and the name changed accordingly to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission [CRTC]).—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
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OpenAI, now valued at nearly $1 trillion following the success of ChatGPT, was established in 2015 as a charity dedicated to benefiting humanity.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Polyamory is nothing new in California, and certainly not in Oakland, which in 2024 became the first city in the state to outlaw discrimination based on family structure — a move meant in part to protect multiple partners’ rights to manage a medical emergency in the hospital.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Sea water flowing into the tanks is controlled with inlet valves and will vary based on the needs of the experiment.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Earnings from India’s bellwether software services exporters have reinforced investor concerns about the sector’s growth prospects, signaling that the downturn in their stocks has further to run.—
Ashutosh Joshi,
Bloomberg,
27 Apr. 2026
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As much as any juncture this season, two days in Mexico City reinforced why the Padres can proceed with at least cautious optimism.—
Dennis Lin,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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It was all predicated on chops that were second to none.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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But that new is, at times, predicated on what came before.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlay. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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