underscore
Americanverb (used with object)
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underscores,
present (3rd person singular)
-
underscored,
past participle, past
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underscoring
present participle
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to mark with a line or lines underneath; underline, as for emphasis.
-
to stress; emphasize.
The recent tragedy underscores the danger of disregarding safety rules.
noun
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underscores
plural
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a line drawn beneath something written or printed.
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music for a film soundtrack; background for a film or stage production.
verb
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to draw or score a line or mark under
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to stress or reinforce
noun
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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underscoresimple
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underscoressimple
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have underscoredperfect
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has underscoredperfect
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am underscoringprogressive
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are underscoringprogressive
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is underscoringprogressive
-
have been underscoringperfect progressive
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has been underscoringperfect progressive
Past
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underscoredsimple
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had underscoredperfect
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was underscoringprogressive
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were underscoringprogressive
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had been underscoringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of underscore
Explanation
To underscore is to draw special attention to a fact, idea, or situation. When you're involved in a debate, it’s wise to underscore the points that best support your argument. Literally, underscore means “to underline,” or draw a line beneath a word to emphasize it. In common speech, to underscore something is to call attention to it. If a worker sustained an injury on the job, for instance, the event would underscore the need for workplace safety. Underscore is also used to mean "emphasize." During a job interview, you want to underscore any experience that relates to the job you are applying for.
Vocabulary lists containing underscore
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 2
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The ACT: The Language of the Test, List 2
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The New SAT: The Language of the Test
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
While most of the nation’s 64 million Medicare recipients will have plenty of options, some changes underscore the importance of shopping during open enrollment.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
Micron Technology may be about to steal Nvidia’s thunder and underscore its increasing relevance to the broader stock market.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 27, 2026
Labor advocates who have studied pesticide regulation say the oversight gaps and failures to impose stiffer fines underscore the need for more vigilant enforcement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026
The moves underscore the challenge for investors and analysts in identifying how the latest advancements, setbacks and regulatory developments in AI will affect swaths of markets and the economy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
To underscore Babulya’s words, the house spirit stood up tall on Babulya’s shoulder and flicked his wrist at Ivan.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
He underscores that the story is not about the fire itself, rather a journey that highlights resilience, laughter and love and “facing things you never thought were possible,” he shared.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
That possibility underscores why sprinkling in Crill’s winning factors could be useful.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
This underscores what has now become the biggest investment risk for Apple shareholders, in Martin’s view.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
"This scientific breakthrough underscores the power of research to redefine what we thought was possible and advance new approaches to cancer treatment," said Sreekala Bajwa, dean of the agricultural college.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 25, 2026
In that sense, the Terman study underscores the argument Annette Lareau makes, that what your parents do for a living, and the assumptions that accompany the class your parents belong to, matter.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
The European Central Bank has authorized the takeover of Germany's Commerzbank AG by UniCredit, the Italian bank said Thursday, calling it an "important milestone" that underscored confidence in its bid.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
Mr. Gates underscored this in the Klein interview: “There’s never been a product that’s less understood in terms of what its capabilities are than AI.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
More recent cases have underscored just how complicated the situation can become.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
The India episode underscored an enduring feature of Chinese politics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
The tragedy underscored the necessity of shielding the high voltages at play in the lab.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
This exceeded the peak temperatures of previously strong El Nino events of 1982/1983, 1997/1998 and 2015/2016, "underscoring the exceptional intensity of the current El Nino", the EU monitor said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
“These vary widely, underscoring the importance of understanding local laws if probate avoidance is a priority. Even a single missed step can inadvertently trigger probate.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 27, 2026
The review's authors raised concerns about possible metabolic effects, underscoring that questions about appetite and glucose regulation are distinct from the original claim about DNA damage.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
Neutron stars would not be detected until 1967 and hard evidence of black holes not found until the twenty-first century, underscoring Oppenheimer’s achievement and the tragedy of his curiously unfulfilled career.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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