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
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Recent Examples of underpinning
Simmone Shah, Time, 30 Apr. 2026
In a post on X, Reeves underscored the ideological underpinnings to the ruling’s potential implications.
—Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
Paula Davis, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
Advertisement The logic underpinning this shift is straightforward.
—Yu Jie, Time, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for underpinning
Noun
Earlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency repealed its endangerment finding, which provides the legal underpinning for greenhouse gas regulations in the country.
—Simmone Shah, Time, 30 Apr. 2026
In a post on X, Reeves underscored the ideological underpinnings to the ruling’s potential implications.
—Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
And leadership development training typically includes little to no formal education in areas like team formation, establishing good workflows and work design, and the psychology underpinning motivation, engagement, resilience, stress awareness, and well-being.
—Paula Davis, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
Advertisement The logic underpinning this shift is straightforward.
—Yu Jie, Time, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for underpinning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underpinning
Noun
-
The Twins then broke the stalemate in the 11th inning when Brooks Lee sent a bases-clearing double deep to right field, bringing home Ryan Kreidler, the automatic runner, as well as Luke Keaschall and Byron Buxton, who had singled and walked respectively, before Lee stepped to the plate.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
27 May 2026
-
Mike Trout was walked, loading the bases for Grissom.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
No other candidates reached double-digit support, including Democratic San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan with 7%, Democratic former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa with 5% and Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond with 1%, the poll found.—
John Woolfolk,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
-
As well as turning to the club’s head of medicine and performance Jonathan Power and psychologist Lee Richardson, Liverpool brought in grief counsellors to ensure there was sufficient support.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Her hyperfocus on the leaf raises questions that extend far beyond the kitchen, inviting an inquiry into the banana plant’s movement across geographies and its role in sustaining cultural traditions.—
Sophia Rey,
JSTOR Daily,
28 May 2026
-
Emotionally cornered and spiritually exhausted, Anatoly at last lets everything rupture to the surface, sustaining the anthem's climactic note for over 20 seconds.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Domestic capabilities are the foundation American ingenuity was a genesis for AI, from the invention of the transistor to the development of the transformer, which enables large language models.—
Olivia White,
Time,
29 May 2026
-
Freedom 250 has its own employees, but the foundation provides federal funds and the park service approves the events and reviews their budgets, according to the website.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
For too long, quality reinforcements had not been signed.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
-
And as if Cole’s return wasn’t enough, the Yankees hope to have more rotation reinforcements down the road.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
For the first time, a skeleton of metal, rather than walls of masonry, formed the main supporting material for a large commercial tower.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
-
The film stars Spanish singer-songwriter Guitarricadelafuente in his screen debut, alongside Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes and Lola Dueñas, with Glenn Close in a supporting role and Penélope Cruz contributing an extended cameo.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
At Brentford, quick transitions were the bedrock of his success, encouraging his goalkeeper and defenders to hit the forward players early to maximise their pace on the break.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
-
Stories in newspapers drive conversations and form the bedrock of future investigations.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
Behind him, in single file, trailed a troop of men and women carrying decades-old L1A1 and Lee-Enfield rifles.—
Dhruv Tikekar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
The system relied on an 11-parachute sequence to safely decelerate the capsule carrying a crew of four astronauts from over 25,000 mph in space to a gentle 20 mph splashdown.—
Pat Maio,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underpinning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underpinning. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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