UNDERSCORING Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

underscoring 1 of 2

noun

as in emphasis

a special notice or importance given to something the underscoring we've given the play's local setting will hopefully increase ticket sales

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

underscoring

2 of 2

verb

present participle of underscore

as in emphasizing

to make more apparent a history of the Old West that underscores the role that pioneer women had in bringing order and stability to the wild frontier

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 underscoring

Noun

The staging could do without the underscoring that becomes heavy-handed in the play’s later stages. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026 Sound designer Hunter Moody provides delicate underscoring setting appropriate to moods as needed. — Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026 But from the opening moments, set in the cozy cabinet of curiosities shop — cue orchestrator/arranger Matt Brind’s mysterious and twinkling Danny Elfman-esque underscoring — there’s real precision to Luke Sheppard’s production. — David Benedict, Variety, 30 Nov. 2025

Verb

Together, the four Gulf funds accounted for nearly 70% of sovereign investments into China and Hong Kong during the period, underscoring the growing role of Middle Eastern capital in the region. — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026 Nikos Koulis launched a new high jewelry collection that pairs rare tortoiseshell acetate with precious stones, underscoring how the exploration of fine jewelry as an art form is on the rise this year. — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026 Gartner has predicted that organizations will abandon as many as 60% of AI projects that lack AI-ready data, underscoring how foundational data readiness has become. — Amanda Turcotte, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026 The warning also came amid reports that 24 ships had been attacked on the waterway over roughly two weeks, underscoring growing concerns about maritime safety in the region, according to Financial Times. — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 The agency says that UTA Creators has seen its revenue triple over the past five years, underscoring the growth in the sector and its leadership in the space. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2026 The company recently introduced four-finger hands for Atlas, underscoring the need to design robotic hardware around practical requirements. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026 Her research found that large Olympic visitor numbers do not necessarily translate into higher museum attendance, underscoring the importance of local audiences and programming before and beyond the competitions. — Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 Zelensky’s pushback was echoed by Ukrainian opposition politician Kira Rudik, leader of the Golos party, underscoring the country’s unity on the global stage, despite domestic disagreements over the Ukrainian president’s leadership. — Laura Kelly, The Hill, 12 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for underscoring

Noun

The Sun enters your sign today, beginning your season and putting greater emphasis on your goals, identity, presence, and personal direction.

— Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 23 Oct. 2026
By contrast, recent restrictions or delays suggest a greater emphasis on managing relations with Beijing and avoiding unnecessary escalation.

— Ningrong Liu, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of emphasis

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

underscores

underscoring

undersea

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

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

Copy Citation

Synonyms of underscoring

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

milieu

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