underlying

[uhn-der-lahy-ing] / ˈʌn dərˌlaɪ ɪŋ /

ADJECTIVE

fundamental, latent

Synonyms

STRONGEST

basic elemental hidden

STRONG

bottom concealed lurking prime root veiled

WEAK

basal bottom-line cardinal critical crucial elementary essential indispensable intrinsic necessary needful nitty-gritty nub primary primitive radical substratal vital

Antonyms

WEAK

secondary

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Bank of Japan is expected to raise interest rates on June 16 as policymakers grow more concerned that the fallout from the conflict will accelerate underlying inflation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, said: "Protecting children online is vital, but these are outrageous plans that will fail to address the underlying causes of online harm."

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

The derivatives typically give investors leveraged long or short exposure to an underlying asset.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

At this thickness, the metal undergoes a transition from a strained state caused by the underlying material to a more relaxed atomic arrangement.

From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2026

All of these parallels between Mesoamerican and ancient western Eurasian writing testify to the underlying universality of human creativity.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Vocabulary lists containing underlying

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