UNDERLINE Synonyms: 32 Similar and Opposite Words

underline

verb

ˈən-dər-ˌlīn

Definition of underline

as in to emphasize

to indicate the importance of by giving prominent display the dean's speech underlined some of the impressive accomplishments racked up by members of the graduation class

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of underline The pair’s return to joint engagements coincides with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s return to the UK, fueling speculation that William and Kate are keen to underline the importance of their public work and promote their causes. — Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026 The way a book has been handled, underlined, and annotated, as well as the creases in the corners of pages, are reminders of this dispute and of the reader’s assertion of ownership that will remain forever on their bookshelves. — Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026 Long’s textbook Marxism is just one of the tools O’Reilly uses to underline O’Neill’s description of The Hairy Ape as a comedy. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026 Perhaps that underlines the value of continuing to play regular football in Ligue 1 during those important years, rather than joining a Premier League club who might not have a clear long-term plan for a player’s development. — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for underline

Recent Examples of Synonyms for underline

Verb

Google’s November 13, 2025 holiday shopping update began rolling out agentic checkout and emphasized the scale of its Shopping Graph, with more than 50 billion product listings and 2 billion refreshed every hour.

— Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026
The collectibles industry, once a niche hobby, has boomed since the pandemic with the help of marketing that emphasizes huge potential monetary wins.

— Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of emphasize

Verb

Matt Schnaars, president of platform distribution and partnerships for NBCUniversal, reinforced Shapiro’s observations in a separate session.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
The audience response has reinforced interest in experiencing independent films on the big screen and helped inform ABFF’s expansion into theatrical distribution.

— Brent Lang, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of reinforce

Browse Nearby Words

underlies

underline

underlined

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“Underline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underline. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of underline

verb

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