underlying

adjective

un·​der·​ly·​ing ˌən-dər-ˈlī-iŋ How to pronounce underlying (audio)
1
a
: lying beneath or below
the underlying rock is shale
b
: basic, fundamental
an investigation of the underlying issues
2
: evident only on close inspection : implicit
3
: anterior and prior in claim
underlying mortgage
4
: of or being present in deep structure
underlying word order

Examples of underlying in a Sentence

the ocean and the underlying rock the underlying differences between democracy and dictatorship
Recent Examples on the Web Even healthy individuals without any underlying medical conditions will exhibit this response to cold weather. Omer Awan, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 According to the lawsuits against Sony and UMG, the music companies had imposed an across-the-board rule that sound recordings (separate from the underlying musical compositions) were effectively never subject to the termination. Bill Donahue, Billboard, 28 Feb. 2024 Luke explains that doing one too frequently may lead to excessive dryness and cause underlying damage or inflammation. Audrey Noble, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2024 The real answers often lie in the model’s training data and underlying architecture, which remain difficult for independent researchers to parse. Popular Science, 21 Feb. 2024 Instead of gathering in the shallow crust, molten rock appeared to be rocketing straight to the surface from a great depth — the boundary between the crust and the underlying, puttylike mantle. Robin George Andrews, Quanta Magazine, 20 Feb. 2024 The injections may not be suitable for patients with underlying conditions, especially thyroid disease and pancreatitis, or have already shown intolerance for the medication class. Christopher Thompson, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Nationally, dog bites were the underlying cause of 96 deaths in 2022, while the death rate more than doubled from 2005 to 2022, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Kff Health News, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 The group's initial exam suggests that Flaco may have struck a window but there could be another underlying cause. Juliana Kim, NPR, 24 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'underlying.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of underlying was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near underlying

Cite this Entry

“Underlying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underlying. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

underlying

adjective
un·​der·​ly·​ing ˌən-dər-ˌlī-iŋ How to pronounce underlying (audio)
1
: lying under or below
the underlying rock
2

Medical Definition

underlying

adjective
un·​der·​ly·​ing -ˌlī-iŋ How to pronounce underlying (audio)
: serving as a basis or cause (as of secondary symptoms)
the underlying brain malformation that caused the hydrocephalusR. M. Henig

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