underlies
Sits beneath, supporting
Underlies means to lie beneath or form the foundation of something.
Rock strata underlie soil; basic assumptions underlie complex arguments.
The word suggests a supporting or fundamental relationship: A deep insecurity underlies his arrogance.
What underlies something isn't always visible but shapes what appears on the surface.
Solid stone underground
- cornerstoneFoundational building block
- basisUnderlying support or principle
- groundworkFoundational preparation for something
- substratumFoundational layer beneath
underpinning · base · root · substrate · footing · infrastructure · framework · backbone
Made invisible deliberately
- obscuredMade hard to perceive
- veiledConcealed or obscured
- buriedPlaced beneath earth
- latentPresent but inactive
unseen · invisible · masked · shrouded · undisclosed · unrevealed · covert · camouflaged
Not verbally expressed
- tacitUnderstood without words
- assumedTaken as true
- inherentExisting as essential part
- presupposedAccepted as already true
implied · unstated · subconscious · intuitive · innate · intrinsic · undercurrent · taken-for-granted
Sustains or reinforces
- buttressesExternal wall supports
- reinforcesStrengthens or supports further
- scaffoldsTemporary elevated work platforms
- girdsEncircles or fortifies
props · braces · shores · sustains · load-bearing · bearing · carries · upholds
bedrock
Solid stone underground
- cornerstoneFoundational building block
- basisUnderlying support or principle
- groundworkFoundational preparation for something
substratum · underpinning · base · root · substrate · footing · infrastructure · framework · backbone · anchor
concealed
Made invisible deliberately
latent · unseen · invisible · masked · shrouded · undisclosed · unrevealed · covert · camouflaged · beneath
unspoken
Not verbally expressed
presupposed · implied · unstated · subconscious · intuitive · innate · intrinsic · undercurrent · taken-for-granted · unarticulated
supports
Sustains or reinforces
- buttressesExternal wall supports
- reinforcesStrengthens or supports further
- scaffoldsTemporary elevated work platforms
girds · props · braces · shores · sustains · load-bearing · bearing · carries · upholds · stabilizes