How to Use underlying in a Sentence

underlying

adjective
  • That was an underlying trend in our business for a long time.
    — Fortune Editors, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2022
  • His underlying numbers at five-on-five held steady, too.
    — The Athletic Nhl, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Yes, there is an underlying look, but goth is so much more than an aesthetic.
    — Tish Weinstock, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2024
  • The buildings are on a ground lease, meaning the underlying land wasn’t part of the sales price.
    — Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 29 May 2025
  • The underlying case against Comey has faced headwinds from the start.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2026
  • Men’s products always come out with a slight, underlying red tone.
    — The Editors, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2025
  • The risk in each case does not disappear when the underlying story looks calm.
    — Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • As well as some sugary snacks to soothe the underlying guilt that comes with sharing your children.
    — Jemima Kirke, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2024
  • When a series concludes, fans might search for an underlying point or what the creators hoped to say.
    — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 26 June 2026
  • Not so much offence and poor underlying numbers — at five-on-five and on the penalty kill.
    — Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026
  • But the underlying problem is a shortage of deputies.
    — Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 27 May 2026
  • And a third is that there may be similar underlying risk factors.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Athletes and fans aren’t being asked to spill blood, but the same underlying truth remains.
    — Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
  • His shot volume and underlying metrics are up during that time, too.
    — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
  • But the underlying question is a serious one for anyone who grew up on these movies.
    — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 23 Feb. 2026
  • The underlying cause of many such heart problems is Down syndrome.
    — Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 20 May 2022
  • His underlying numbers have declined since his six-game scoring streak, with six shots and just one big chance in this time.
    — Holly Shand, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
  • Scar tape does not change the quality of the skin or address the underlying cause of the wrinkles.
    — Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 7 May 2025
  • The good news is that there are a handful of ways to address it, depending on the underlying cause.
    — Melinda Wenner Moyer, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2022
  • The first is a genuine gap between price and underlying value.
    — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • The tendon is then split to expose underlying tissues and bone.
    — Oluseun Olufade, Verywell Health, 1 May 2024
  • The other view is that the underlying expenses were paid in fiat, so any award should be paid in pounds.
    — Susie Violet Ward, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • The person must be convicted of the underlying felony to be found guilty of felony murder.
    — Fox News, 23 Nov. 2021
  • And that really is the underlying cause here.
    — Stephen Conroy, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2026
  • The underlying racist stereotypes are brutally clear for all to see.
    — Mary Hui, Quartz, 13 Apr. 2022
  • In these cases, starvation is still the underlying cause of death.
    — Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 29 July 2025
  • Those will be underlying, unimportant issues for much of the year.
    — Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Woolf did not wish to elaborate on the type of treatment or the underlying issues.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Jack had no underlying conditions and was in good health, and at first the symptoms looked a lot like a common cold.
    — Kathleen Felton, SELF, 27 Sep. 2024
  • In some cases, doctors can't find an underlying cause or injury.
    — Margaret Cirino, NPR, 4 Apr. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'underlying.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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