underlie
An underlie means to exist secretly or quietly beneath the surface, or to be the underlying reason for something.
When we talk about an underlie, we often mean that there's something hidden underneath. For example, a problem can lie beneath the surface of a relationship and cause tension between people. You might not even notice it at first, but as you dig deeper, you'll start to see signs of it. Another way to use the word is when something underlies an idea or action - for instance, a politician's decision might be based on a certain ideology that underlies all their choices. In some cases, like in science, researchers are trying to discover what underlies a particular phenomenon, meaning they want to find out what's causing it from underneath.
How common is "underlie"?
It appears most frequently in academic texts and less often in other writings.
verb
(intransitive) To lie in a position directly beneath something.
Real examples of "underlie" in context
