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
-
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
-
are underscoringprogressive
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is underscoringprogressive
-
have been underscoringperfect progressive
-
has been underscoringperfect progressive
Past
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underscoredsimple
-
had underscoredperfect
-
was underscoringprogressive
-
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
Payne said the Brampton factory represents an important moment for Canada, because it will underscore whether business leaders, workers and government officials are willing to save the country’s auto sector.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
Every now and then Ted pops in to watch with me, pausing the video to underscore a particularly dramatic moment: “See how she’s working around the vase? That’s an accident waiting to happen. ”
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
The arrest of the 35-year-old Saudi national underscores that threats to Silicon Valley firms often originate within their own ranks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 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
It’s Morello half-speaking, half-singing against a gentle piano melody that emotionally underscores the song’s message of quiet defiance: “Maybe you can save me/Maybe you can’t/Maybe you can liberate me/Nah, I’ll take care of that.”
From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026
And even through the children’s laughter there’s this insidious silence that underscores everything; then again, maybe the silence was always there, and I’m only just noticing it now.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
The major destruction of hydropower infrastructure underscored the risks of that strategy in a region where glaciers are retreating, permafrost is thawing and extreme hazards are becoming harder to predict.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
But as Trump showed Xi around the National Archives in Washington -- home to the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution -- it underscored that the summit was more about spectacle than substance.
From Barron's ● Sep. 25, 2026
More recent cases have underscored just how complicated the situation can become.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
Ahead of the meeting, rhetoric from Washington and Beijing has underscored only deepening acrimony and distrust over their rush to dominate the technological frontier.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
Before our shift the next day, the training officer underscored the seriousness of what had happened and said that the injured inmate was very likely to sue the Department.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
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
"Although increases in cancer in younger adults are concerning, the absolute burden remains far higher in older adults, underscoring the public health and clinical importance of studying risk factors across all ages," they conclude.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
Shares of CoreWeave tumbled more than 15% while some of the bonds it issued earlier this year dropped to fresh lows in the secondary market, underscoring investor concerns about its credit quality.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
In prepared remarks at the Istanbul Economic Forum, Christopher Waller said the economic data underscoring the need for interest-rate increases hasn’t shifted much.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
But we were reaffirming and underscoring those original concerns, many of which had gone by the wayside.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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