underline
Americanverb (used with object)
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underlines,
present (3rd person singular)
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underlined,
past participle, past
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underlining
present participle
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to mark with a line or lines underneath; underscore.
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to indicate the importance of; emphasize, as by stressing or italicizing.
noun
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Printing. a caption under an illustration.
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a line drawn under something; an underscore.
verb
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to put a line under
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to state forcibly; emphasize or reinforce
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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underlinesimple
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underlinessimple
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have underlinedperfect
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has underlinedperfect
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am underliningprogressive
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are underliningprogressive
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is underliningprogressive
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have been underliningperfect progressive
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has been underliningperfect progressive
Past
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underlinedsimple
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had underlinedperfect
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was underliningprogressive
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were underliningprogressive
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had been underliningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of underline
Vocabulary lists containing underline
Language and Grammar - Introductory
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Reading: Informational - Introductory
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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:
Meta’s announcement of the tool took pains to underline how rock-solid it was.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Those exceptions underline just how extraordinary Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had to be.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will on Monday host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as his first foreign leader since taking office a week ago, to underline London's "unwavering support" for Kyiv.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
"What Burnham's doing is really very different because he's trying to underline that things can be better, and government can still make a difference."
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
As if to underline the association, the British Parliament passed a Jewish Naturalisation Act in 1753, which was not to be emulated in any other European country for half a century.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
That underlines a danger in seeking outreach to Moscow, said Slawomir Debski, a former adviser to the Polish government and a visiting professor of strategy and international relations at the College of Europe.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has said his company expects a significant share of Nvidia’s upcoming Rubin chips next year, “which underlines just how material the relationship is becoming,” Leaman noted.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026
While rewatching one of the “Miasma” sequels, Kris takes out a pen and paper, writes the word “DESIRE” in all caps, and underlines it twice.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026
Well, Tommy can do her hair but, by design, can never replace Mickey, and that conflict between Valerie and Tommy underlines her loss and her denial of Mickey’s passing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Ms. Rochambeau finishes writing it, underlines it, and then wanders over close to my table.
From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden
"Both underlined the growing need to ensure the safety and well-being of children in the rapidly evolving digital sphere," Metsola's office said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
The £52.2m fee underlined the faith United's recruitment department had in Yoro's potential.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
Arsenal are the real deal and I don't see any weaknesses in their team, as their impressive win at Sunderland underlined.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
In his statement, Wirth underlined the role of artificial intelligence in establishing traditional hydrocarbon energy as no longer scarce or costly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
I turn to the page, and someone has underlined these words: “Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”
From "All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven
BOJ Gov. Kazuo Ueda has expressed concerns about the impact of rapid policy tightening, underlining the need for gradual adjustments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
However, other wild dogs tracked with GPS collars in the study died in illegal snares, underlining the dangers they face.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
The trial judge, Dabney Friedrich, has agreed that the start date should be set aside, underlining the potential importance of the new evidence.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Several agreements on health, transport and energy will be signed on the second day of the visit on Monday, according to a French presidential official, underlining the strength of the Paris-Riyadh relationship.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
She smelled of soap with an underlining of onion.
From "The Devil's Arithmetic" by Jane Yolen
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.
