What does "underline" mean?
A line placed underneath a piece of text in order to provide emphasis or to indicate that it should be viewed in italics or (in electronic documents) that it acts as a hyperlink.
Underline
/ˈʌndɚˌlaɪn/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A line placed underneath a piece of text in order to provide emphasis or to indicate that it should be viewed in italics or (in electronic documents) that it acts as a hyperlink.
- Grammar: underline is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: underscore, accent, accentuate, band.
- Useful contrasts: deemphasize, erase, highlighter.
- Usage evidence: Underline all the verbs in the future tense in this text.
How to use "underline"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "underline" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "underline" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "underline" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "underline" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "underline" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "underscore" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "underline", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A line placed underneath a piece of text in order to provide emphasis or to indicate that it should be viewed in italics or (in electronic documents) that it acts as a hyperlink.
- 2 a line drawn underneath (especially under written matter) wordnet
- 3 The character _. uncommon
- 4 An announcement of a theatrical performance to follow, placed in an advertisement for the current one. dated
- 5 A caption beneath a photograph (which may have more than one line of text). dated
"Several readers [...] write to point out that the ex-Great Eastern 0-6-0s now classified as "J20" in the L.N.E.R. lists, no longer hold the supremacy for power among British 0-6-0 locomotives as suggested in the underline to the photograph of one of them which appeared on p. 100 of the March-April issue."
Verb
- 1 To draw a line underneath something, especially to add emphasis.
"underline the important words in the text"
- 2 draw a line or lines underneath to call attention to wordnet
- 3 To emphasise or stress something. figuratively
"The Midlanders will hope the victory will kickstart a campaign that looked to have hit the buffers, but the sense of trepidation enveloping the Reebok Stadium heading into the new year underlines the seriousness of the predicament facing Owen Coyle's men."
- 4 give extra weight to (a communication) wordnet
- 5 To influence secretly. figuratively, obsolete
"By mere chance in appearance, though underlined with a providence, they had a full light of the infanta."
Adjective
- 1 Passing under a railway line. not-comparable
"Just as it was sometimes necessary to lower the road to take it beneath an underline bridge, so in this case it might be necessary to raise it."
Antonyms
Example
"Underline all the verbs in the future tense in this text."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "underline"?
Common synonyms include: underscore, accent, accentuate, band, bar, belabor.
How do you use "underline" in a sentence?
Underline all the verbs in the future tense in this text.
How do you pronounce "underline"?
Pronounced /ˈʌndɚˌlaɪn/.
Etymology
From under- + line.