underlie
/ˌʌn.dəˈlaɪ/(verb)
AWL Sublist 6CEFR C1IELTS Band 7.0 - 9.0
Academic Definition
To be situated under something; to form the fundamental basis, cause, or foundation of a situation or concept.
Key Academic Collocations
Click to copyWord Family & Derivatives
underlieunderlyingunderlayunderlain
Lexical Alternatives (Synonyms)
subtendgroundunderpinform basis ofanchor
Academic Sample Sentences in Context
"Sociologists contend that economic insecurity and institutional disenfranchisement underlie rising social unrest in post-industrial cities."
"The statistical model was compromised because its underlying theoretical assumptions regarding market rationality were fundamentally flawed."
"Identifying the underlying causes of childhood behavioral defiance is prerequisite to designing effective psychological interventions."
IELTS Examiner Scoring Strategy (Lexical Resource)
'The underlying cause of...' and 'the principles that underlie...' are high-scoring C1 structures for Task 2 analysis.