underlay

verb

Definition of underlaynext
past tense of underlie
1
as in supported
to lie underneath A layer of rock underlies the topsoil.

Related Words

Relevance
2
as in grounded
to form the basis or foundation of (something, such as an idea) The assumption that underlies their argument is faulty.

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 underlay Judge Ruiz ruled Thursday that the second vote cured the problems that underlay her initial block on the deed transfer. — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025 Once the human in the loop selects the option the team prefers, the systems can assign tasks to agents that underlay SAP’s assistant. — Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 17 Oct. 2025 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 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 See All Example Sentences for underlay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlay
  1. supported
  2. grounded
  3. upheld
  4. established
  5. based
  6. reinforced
  7. predicated
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
  • Caglianone represented the tying run but grounded out on the first pitch against Blue Jays closer Louis Varland.
    — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026
  • But Xavier Edwards grounded out to shortstop to end the inning, with runners on second and third.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of grounded
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
Verb
  • The organization works to champion aspiring and established storytellers by providing events and services, enhancing public awareness and participation and encouraging community partnerships.
    — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Nor have the researchers yet established the process’s industrial environmental or economic balance.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of established
Verb
  • The top 500 employers, ranked based on these results, were named Brazil's Best Employers 2026.
    — Charlotte Hu, Time, 26 Aug. 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
Definition of based
Verb
  • The results reinforced confidence in AI demand, lifting the broader trade Thursday.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
  • It was reinforced by Washington’s alliance with Pakistan and its engagement with China during the Cold War, India’s socialist leanings in the decades after its independence, in 1947, and New Delhi’s close relationship with the Soviet Union.
    — C. Raja Mohan, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of reinforced
Verb
  • Then again, there never was with risky plotting predicated on rotation health.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Far too much coverage of declining trust in science — particularly the anti-vaccine movement — is predicated on the assumption that its adherents are either stupid or crazy.
    — Rick Berke, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of predicated

Browse Nearby Words

underlain
underlay
underlie
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Underlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlay. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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