UNDERLINE Synonyms: 32 Similar and Opposite Words

underline

verb

ˈən-dər-ˌlīn

Definition of underline

as in to emphasize

to indicate the importance of by giving prominent display the dean's speech underlined some of the impressive accomplishments racked up by members of the graduation class

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 underline President Donald Trump‘s appearance in Youngstown, Ohio, on Monday underlines the Mahoning Valley as a bellwether of whether Democrats can win back the white, working-class voters that have rapidly shifted away from the party in recent years. — Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026 French investigators Tuesday were hunting the hackers who seized control of cooling units at hundreds of supermarkets in a cyberattack that underlined the vulnerabilities of connected systems, with no group publicly claiming responsibility. — Reuters, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026 The pair’s return to joint engagements coincides with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s return to the UK, fueling speculation that William and Kate are keen to underline the importance of their public work and promote their causes. — Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026 The way a book has been handled, underlined, and annotated, as well as the creases in the corners of pages, are reminders of this dispute and of the reader’s assertion of ownership that will remain forever on their bookshelves. — Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for underline

Recent Examples of Synonyms for underline

Verb

Both local governments filed their briefs to the Supreme Court this week, emphasizing their arguments that the bans are lawful because the AR-15 and similar weapons are not ordinary firearms.

— Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 23 Oct. 2026
Officials emphasized that machines are tested before each election and that in most jurisdictions, there is a postelection audit that consists of a manual hand count of a sample of paper ballots.

— Ali Swenson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of emphasize

Verb

Mental health experts have voiced concerns about chatbots’ sycophancy, lack of clinical nuance, and ability to reinforce delusional beliefs.

— Andrew R. Chow, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
Kim Yo Jong, widely viewed as the second most powerful official in Pyongyang, made the statement after visiting frontline areas where soldiers are reinforcing the border.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of reinforce

Browse Nearby Words

underlies

underline

underlined

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Underline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underline. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of underline

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes