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.

In the financial economy, leverage is high with a layer cake of debt at the investor, fund, instrument and underlying investment level.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 9, 2026

Most of the best-known AI models -- like OpenAI's ChatGPT or Anthropic's Claude -- are "closed," meaning the company keeps the underlying code and data locked away.

From Barron's • Jul. 9, 2026

In its defense, Hudson Bay maintained that an underlying agreement included contractual “blockers” that prevented the fund’s ownership of Bed Bath shares from ever exceeding that threshold.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026

By uncovering this natural "mix and match" system and reproducing its underlying principles in the laboratory, the researchers have established a new strategy for designing future cancer therapies.

From Science Daily • Jul. 8, 2026

Many Ionians believed the underlying harmony of the universe to be accessible through observation and experiment, the method that dominates science today.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Vocabulary lists containing underlying

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