underlining

verb

present participle of underline
as in emphasizing
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

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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 underlining Three of the films in the lineup were supported by Film Committee at Media City Qatar, underlining the reach of Qatar’s burgeoning industry. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026 At the time, leader Kim Jong un highlighted the need to equip the navy with nuclear weapons, underlining Pyongyang’s intention to strengthen its maritime deterrence capabilities. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026 And her Instagram post announcing the song featured exactly 12 exclamation points, possibly underlining its connection to her 12th album. — Bryan West, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026 Rather than simply presenting us with the unequal gender dynamics of the times, Biller’s dialogue can’t help but wink at the audience, underlining every moment of misogyny just in case viewers weren’t smart enough to get it themselves. — Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026 Researchers used Anthropic’s Claude technology to break into OpenAI’s ChatGPT systems, underlining the immediate dangers of AI even as regulators fret over its long-term risks. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 18 Sep. 2026 Thanks to a shin problem, this was Sesko’s first start since the win against Liverpool on May 3, but his efficiency is already underlining his importance. — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Even as flows continue through the Strait of Hormuz, ING's strategists said flows remain well below pre-war levels, underlining how fragile the situation has become. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026 Aged 24, the Fluminense youth academy product looks set to sign the extension, further underlining his commitment to the BlueCo project at Stamford Bridge under new head coach and former Real Madrid tactician Xabi Alonso. — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underlining
  1. emphasizing
  2. reinforcing
Verb
  • Lin entered with a red pen and a machete, the lore goes, in hopes of emphasizing quality over quantity.
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Genres, in that sense, also feels refreshing, emphasizing actual books and tactile media at a cultural moment when AI is often dominating conversations.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of emphasizing
Verb
  • The event highlights Greece’s efforts to enhance its maritime strike capabilities while reinforcing its strategic partnership with Israel amid an increasingly complex security environment in the Eastern Mediterranean.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The proposal came days after Kim Jong Un's powerful sister visited front-line areas where North Korean troops are reinforcing the border.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of reinforcing

Browse Nearby Words

underlings
underlining
underlying
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Cite this Entry

“Underlining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underlining. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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