undergirded

verb

past tense of undergird
as in sustained
to hold up or serve as a foundation for the theory of evolution undergirds virtually all of modern biology

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 undergirded The frontier myth undergirded their policies. — Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026 In the summer of 2020, massive riots erupted over the murder of George Floyd, undergirded by a powerful social justice movement. — Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 25 Mar. 2026 Hungarian Conceptual artist Dóra Maurer, whose fascination with movement and change undergirded a diverse practice marked by bright hues, simple shapes, and uninhibited experimentation, died on February 14. — News Desk, Artforum, 22 Feb. 2026 Her wacky asides, undergirded by a subtle poignancy, both gave Guffman a zany edge and helped transform the mockumentary genre itself. — Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026 Yet his empire of quiet is undergirded by unease. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026 This includes the inherently exploitative nature of apparel production that is undergirded by unequal power dynamics between the global North and the global South. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 15 Dec. 2025 Mamdani sailed to victory in the New York City mayor’s race, first in the primary, then in the general election, on a platform of affordability undergirded by good old-fashioned class warfare. — Abby Phillip, Time, 4 Dec. 2025 Some might say the new Aurora Regional Navigation Campus that opened recently in a former 255-room hotel is undergirded by one of humanity’s seven deadly sins — envy. — John Aguilar, Denver Post, 28 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undergirded
  1. sustained
  2. bolstered
  3. carried
  4. supported
  5. upheld
Verb
  • The woman was able to leave the residence before officers arrived and was later taken to Aurora Medical Center in Burlington for injuries sustained in the assault.
    — Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Absent new domestic discoveries of the scale and accessibility needed to replace them, overall production could not be sustained.
    — David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of sustained
Verb
  • The gain was bolstered by a 45 percent increase in the company’s AI Cloud and Compute businesses.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • From 1970 to 1980, its membership increased eightfold, to more than 700,000—bolstered by a push to include low-level sales associates in its membership and a rush of women joining.
    — Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of bolstered
Verb
  • Norman carried his district and the upstate, where the Grahams were raised and where conservative voters had been most critical of the late senator.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Ukraine resumed drone attacks on Moscow overnight into Wednesday morning, the city's Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said, hours after the departure of the plane that carried CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow for an unannounced visit on Tuesday morning.
    — David Brennan, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of carried
Verb
  • Beyond the playa, the team has helped with disaster relief through the Grassroots Aid Partnership, including work after Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, and has supported the Moonlight Orphanage in Uganda.
    — Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Some flagship smartphones from a few years ago have supported reverse wireless charging.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of supported
Verb
  • An appeals court upheld that ruling, and in early 2026 the state declined to appeal to the Supreme Court.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Several political parties sought a review of the first-round vote, but the results were upheld.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of upheld

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Undergirded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undergirded. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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