Meaning & use
Underlie
Last updated
To exist beneath or at the basis of something, serving as its foundation or cause.
See it in a sentence
Economic anxiety seemed to underlie much of the public's frustration.
A thick layer of clay underlies the sandy topsoil in this region.
A note on using this word
Underlie is frequently used in analytical and academic writing to point to the hidden cause or basis of a visible phenomenon.
Words with a similar meaning
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