as in to sustain
to hold up or serve as a foundation for the theory of evolution undergirds virtually all of modern biology

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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 undergird The cryptographic foundations that undergird modern society have an expiration date that is increasingly clear. Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025 That's the ultimate question that undergirds the debate over the future of the post office. Felix Salmon, Axios, 24 Feb. 2025 At the same time, there’s a legion of former Department of Justice officials who fear Bondi’s unique obeisance to this president is undergirding the foundation of an independent Justice Department. David Catanese, Miami Herald, 14 Mar. 2025 By killing animals for exhibition and subduing their bodies in such tableaux, taxidermy celebrates the subjugation of nature and colonial exploitation, all while effacing the African labor undergirding some dioramas, as with the mountain gorilla scene. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for undergird
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undergird
Verb
  • While no structures were damaged in the fire, firefighters sustained minor injuries.
    Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
  • One child who had sustained a head injury before the strikes took place died in the evacuation, the religious authority said.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Survivors and community members at Florida State University came together to grieve and support each other at a vigil that drew thousands after two people were killed and more were injured in an April 17 campus shooting.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
  • This helps centers maximize resource recovery and supports the transition to a circular economy.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, FOXNews.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • There were so many physical scenes and heavy emotions carried throughout.
    Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The charges carry a combined sentence of 24 to 62 years in prison, Drummond said, and up to $260,000 in fines.
    Kerry Breen, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • While the Canes’ big swing for Mikko Rantanen didn’t work out as expected, this team still made a few moves to bolster this lineup.
    Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Beyond trying to bolster their technical filters, most anti-spam and anti-phishing emails sent out by IT departments as trial balloons still follow the same outdated patterns as in the past.
    Kevin Korte, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025

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“Undergird.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undergird. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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