English Meaning & Definitions
To draw a line under a word or phrase for emphasis or to indicate a specific formatting style.
- “Please underline the key terms in your essay to make them easier to find.”
- “The teacher asked us to underline the verbs in the paragraph.”
To emphasize or highlight the importance of something.
- “The recent report serves to underline the urgent need for climate action.”
- “His speech served to underline the company's commitment to innovation.”
A line drawn under a word or line of text.
- “The hyperlink was indicated by a blue color and a subtle underline.”
- “The document used an underline to distinguish the headings from the body text.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “underline”.
Derived from the Middle English 'underlinen', formed by the prefix 'under-' (beneath) and 'line' (from Old English 'line', meaning a cord or row). It originally referred to the physical act of drawing a line beneath text to emphasize it, a practice dating back to early manuscript scribal traditions.
Think of a line drawn 'under' the word to make it stand out.
Frequently Asked Questions About “underline”
1. What is the meaning of “underline” in English?
In English, underline (verb) is defined as: “To draw a line under a word or phrase for emphasis or to indicate a specific formatting style.”.
2. How do you use “underline” in a sentence?
“Please underline the key terms in your essay to make them easier to find.”
3. What are English synonyms of “underline”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “underline”?
Derived from the Middle English 'underlinen', formed by the prefix 'under-' (beneath) and 'line' (from Old English 'line', meaning a cord or row). It originally referred to the physical act of drawing a line beneath text to emphasize it, a practice dating back to early manuscript scribal traditions.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →A measurement of time indicating an instantaneous occurrence or a state where no time has elapsed.
The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.