underline
Americanverb (used with object)
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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
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have underlinedperfect
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has underlinedperfect 3rd person singular
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underlinessingular 3rd person
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underliningparticiple
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have been underliningperfect progressive
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are underliningprogressive
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is underliningprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been underliningperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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am underliningprogressive 1st person singular
Past
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had underlinedperfect
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were underliningprogressive plural
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underlinedsimple
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underlinedparticiple
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had been underliningperfect progressive
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was underliningprogressive singular
Future
Etymology
Origin of underline
Vocabulary lists containing underline
Language and Grammar - Introductory
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Language and Grammar - Middle School
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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.
Work out a yearly budget for how much she has spent on this property over the last few years, and underline the recurring charges versus one-off charges.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets China's President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday, seeking to underline their unshakeable alliance in the wake of Donald Trump's visit to the Asian superpower economy.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
I underline that — magnificent Canada — because I’d like to be an honorary citizen.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
Another victory next weekend would underline how much City have grown - and further strengthen their title credentials.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
I underline sultan’s, but then I erase my underlining, in case it is too obvious a clue.
From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez
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.
