1
as in basis
an immaterial thing upon which something else rests
the underpinnings of the theory have recently been called into question
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in support
a structure that holds up or serves as a foundation for something else
the underpinnings of the bridge were seriously damaged in the collision
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in sustaining
to hold up or serve as a foundation for
the central beliefs that underpin a free society
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of underpinning
Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
And an underpinning of loneliness and suppressed yearning.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
Unlike most ceasefire agreements, there are no publicly available documents underpinning this one.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underpinning
Noun
The movie does attempt to gesture at class and race as thematic underpinnings (the maids trapped in The Virgil are mostly non-white, while the villains are rich Caucasians), but like the story and action at large, these go pretty much nowhere, and feel like obligatory symbols.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
And an underpinning of loneliness and suppressed yearning.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
The financial reality underpinning that pessimism is stark.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
Unlike most ceasefire agreements, there are no publicly available documents underpinning this one.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underpinning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underpinning
Noun
-
Littell loaded the bases with one out in the fourth.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Rambus reported a first-quarter operating margin of 42%, on an adjusted basis, which was lower than the 46% reported in the year-ago period.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Many fans came to show their support for the third-year forward, whom the Sky traded to the Dream on April 6 for two future first-round draft picks.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Her son receives special services for a disability at Lake Center Elementary, and home routines are harder without this support.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Four people were listed in critical condition and two suffered minor injuries after sustaining stab wounds or cuts, a spokeswoman for the Tacoma Fire Department said earlier on Thursday, AP reported.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
-
Colbert converted from safety to linebacker last season and excelled on special teams before sustaining a season-ending injury in the second half of the year.—
Omar Kelly
May 1,
Miami Herald,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
When your foundation feels steady, everything else begins to move forward with more ease.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
-
Life forms of increasing complexity filled the seas, providing the evolutionary foundations for nearly every phylum alive today.—
Marlowe Starling,
Quanta Magazine,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Baltimore’s defense received reinforcements both in the trenches and in the secondary.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Without constant reinforcement, these muscles will atrophy, and when real tyranny arrives, the flabby citizen will be powerless to resist.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Snitker was emotional, thanking Ronnie for supporting him in this career for all these decades.—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Investors bought tech stocks viewed as supporting the AI infrastructure buildout and dumping those seen as threatened by its adoption.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The democratic tradition in America of the president being a civilian remains a bedrock principle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Synthetic ceramics have become the bedrock of modern life, and they are now found in everything from hip replacements to cell phone casings.—
Caitlin Kennedy,
Scientific American,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Jones was arrested on charges of possession of an assault weapon, possession of a large capacity magazine, carrying a pistol without a permit and interfering with an officer.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
1 May 2026
-
The Spaniard left hurriedly, carrying a frown that owed to a sense of injustice.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underpinning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underpinning. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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