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- Dictionaryunderlying/ʌndəˈlʌɪɪŋ/
verb
- 1. present participle of underlie
adjective
- 1. significant as a cause or basis of something but not necessarily manifest or obvious: "the flu can be particularly severe for the elderly and those with underlying conditions" Similar Opposite
- 2. lying or situated under something: "the underlying muscles of the face"
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UNDERLYING definition: 1. real but not immediately obvious: 2. used to describe something on which something else is…. Learn more.
The meaning of UNDERLYING is lying beneath or below. How to use underlying in a sentence.
The obvious meaning of underlying refers to something beneath something else. But the word carries a more subtle meaning, that of something hidden but important, something that shapes the meaning or effect of something else, without being explicit itself.
adjective. lying or situated beneath, as a substratum. fundamental; basic: the underlying cause of their discontent. implicit; discoverable only by close scrutiny or analysis: an underlying seriousness in his witticisms. (of a claim, mortgage, etc.) taking precedence; anterior; prior.
1. lying beneath something else, as a substratum. 2. fundamental; basic: the underlying cause. 3. discoverable only by close scrutiny or analysis; implicit. 4. (of a claim, mortgage, etc.) taking precedence; prior. [1605–15]
The underlying features of an object, event, or situation are not obvious, and it may be difficult to discover or reveal them. To stop a problem you have to understand its underlying causes. American English : underlying / ʌndərˈlaɪɪŋ /
/ˌʌndərˈlaɪɪŋ/ [only before noun] important in a situation but not always easily noticed or stated clearly. The underlying assumption is that the amount of money available is limited. Unemployment may be an underlying cause of the rising crime rate. Extra Examples. Questions about grammar and vocabulary?
1. adjective [ADJ n] The underlying features of an object, event, or situation are not obvious, and it may be difficult to discover or reveal them. To stop a problem you have to understand its underlying causes. Synonyms: fundamental, basic, essential, root More Synonyms of underlying. 2. adjective [ADJ n]
UNDERLYING definition: An underlying reason or problem is the real reason or problem, although it is not obvious: . Learn more.
un•der•ly•ing (un′ dər lī′ing), adj. lying or situated beneath, as a substratum. fundamental; basic: the underlying cause of their discontent. implicit; discoverable only by close scrutiny or analysis: an underlying seriousness in his witticisms. Business (of a claim, mortgage, etc.) taking precedence;