underline
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to mark with a line or lines underneath; underscore.
-
to indicate the importance of; emphasize, as by stressing or italicizing.
noun
-
Printing. a caption under an illustration.
-
a line drawn under something; an underscore.
verb
-
to put a line under
-
to state forcibly; emphasize or reinforce
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
underlinesimple
-
underlinessimple
-
have underlinedperfect
-
has underlinedperfect
-
am underliningprogressive
-
are underliningprogressive
-
is underliningprogressive
-
have been underliningperfect progressive
-
has been underliningperfect progressive
Past
-
underlinedsimple
-
had underlinedperfect
-
was underliningprogressive
-
were underliningprogressive
-
had been underliningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of underline
Vocabulary lists containing underline
Language and Grammar - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Language and Grammar - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Reading: Informational - Introductory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
To underline his point, equity financing costs are roughly where they were during the global financial crisis.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 2, 2026
They are statistics that underline why the government's men's health strategy, launched in November, has been described as long overdue.
From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026
The director’s moaning score here, supplemented with sputtering engines and clanking chains, underline the movie’s ghost-story vibe — the sense that poor Nick is both alive and dead.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026
The strategy rests on a paradox Warsh likes to underline.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
Vincent’s letter is in Dutch, but this phrase he writes in English, in very large letters, “damned” underline twice and the whole phrase underlined with a paintbrush dipped in ink.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
