1
as in basis
an immaterial thing upon which something else rests
the underpinnings of the theory have recently been called into question
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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
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of underpinning
New Atlas, 23 Sep. 2024
Neutral-toned underpinnings, like this Chloé henley, and Gucci’s riff on the desert boot give it the extra edge necessary.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 28 Oct. 2024
Brendan O’Reilly, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for underpinning 
Noun
Shedding light on other underpinnings, the forks are raked out slightly further to improve stability at faster speeds.
—New Atlas, 23 Sep. 2024
Neutral-toned underpinnings, like this Chloé henley, and Gucci’s riff on the desert boot give it the extra edge necessary.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 28 Oct. 2024
Verb
By embracing these technologies thoughtfully and strategically while underpinning them with robust and future-proofed networks, campuses can create a connected and dynamic environment that supports the academic and personal growth of their students.
—Brendan O’Reilly, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for underpinning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underpinning
Noun
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This is why Russia, China and India are all expanding their number of bases, while Turkey, Saudi Arabia and even Iran are looking to secure a foothold on the continent.The Week UK, theweek, 6 Nov. 2024
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During the debates, Sen. Pete Wilson (R-Calif.) pushed to include the admission of temporary workers on an annual basis.Eladio B. Bobadilla / Made by History, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The goal of the Family Place Libraries program is to encourage libraries to be a family-friendly environment and transform them into community centers for literacy, early childhood development, parent education and engagement, family support and community information.Barbara D. Hathaway, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
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The other cast members will be going to show their support.Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The Role Of Leadership In Team Building Building and sustaining a high-performance team starts with leadership.Lynda Silsbee, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
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With the rapid growth in these jobs, comes the challenge of sustaining the momentum.George Sakellaris, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2024
Noun
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This solid foundation enables the Bilstein DTX shock absorbers to do their work, with fast reaction times that let the various drive mode settings deliver distinctly different ride and handling characteristics.Dan Carney, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024
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During a meeting in early 2024, the foundation’s inner circle locked themselves in a room to come up with the guiding tenets for the group.Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 7 Nov. 2024
Noun
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This is the fine-tuning of the AI after the initial data training and consists usually of performing reinforcement learning with human feedback (RLHF).Lance Eliot, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
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Thousands of soldiers are working with firefighters and police reinforcements in the immense emergency response.Hernán Muñoz and Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Yet, supporting female entrepreneurs is just one piece of the puzzle.Kath Mackay, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
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The Republic of Serbia is financially supporting the production.Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Values are the bedrock of a company's identity and the foundation for building trust with employees, customers and stakeholders.Expert Panel®, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
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Several carmakers are using LLMs as in-car assistants, while AI is creating the bedrock for a potential future of autonomous driving.Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 23 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Opening in the same year was the elegant Interlaken Hotel, on the shores of Twin Lakes, a gorgeous but ultimately doomed retreat for well-off visitors.James Dziezynski, Outside Online, 10 Nov. 2024
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The shores of Europe were littered with wrecks from the First World War.Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Underpinning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underpinning. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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