underline
gb/ˈʌndɚlˌaɪn/ us/ˈʌndɚlˌaɪn/
A2
English
~ 7400
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
draw a line under text
To draw a line under a word or words to show they are important or to mark them.
Usage pattern:
to underline [a word/phrase]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "underline" with "highlight" and use them interchangeably. "Underline" specifically means drawing a line under text, while "highlight" usually involves coloring the background or otherwise marking text, especially on a computer. Another mistake is saying *"underline under the word"*; simply say "underline the word".
Synonyms
underscore (Slightly more formal; also used in computing, but can mean the same physical act of drawing a line under text.)
|
highlight (Often means to mark text with color instead of a line; broader and more modern in digital contexts.)
Antonyms
erase (Opposite in the sense of removing marks from text instead of adding a line.)
|
ignore (Opposite in intention: not marking or drawing attention to the text at all.)
Collocations
underline a word
|underline a sentence
|underline in red
|bold and underline
|underline key points
|click underline
Themes
writing
|education
|technology
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Please underline all the verbs in this paragraph.
- She carefully underlined the key dates in her notes.
- If you click this button, the program will automatically underline any spelling mistakes.
- The teacher told us to underline the title with a ruler.
- On the worksheet, the instructions say, "Underline the correct answer."
Learner examples
- Underline the new words in the text.
- I like to underline names in my notebook.
- The book tells you to underline the main idea.
- He used a blue pen to underline the sentence.
- At school, we often underline important information.
Verb
B2
action
2
emphasize or stress something
To show very clearly that something is important or true.
Usage pattern:
to underline [the importance/need/fact] of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may think this sense always involves drawing a physical line. In this figurative use, nothing is drawn; "underline" simply means to emphasize or show clearly. Also, they may say *"underline about the importance"*; the correct pattern is "underline the importance of" or "underline how important it is".
Synonyms
emphasize (Most common general synonym; often slightly more neutral and used in speech and writing alike.)
|
highlight (Suggests drawing special attention, especially to something positive or notable.)
Antonyms
downplay (Means to make something seem less important, the opposite of stressing its importance.)
|
ignore (Means to pay no attention to something instead of calling attention to it.)
Collocations
underline the importance
|underline the need
|underline the fact
|underline the point
|underline the problem
|further underline
Themes
communication
|opinions
|business
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The recent floods underline the urgent need for better drainage systems.
- This report clearly underlines how serious the problem has become.
- Her success underlines the value of hard work and persistence.
- The incident underlined the importance of following safety procedures.
- These figures underline the fact that the company is growing quickly.
Learner examples
- The accident underlines how dangerous that road is.
- These results underline the need for more tests.
- His story underlines the importance of family support.
- The study underlines that exercise is good for health.
- This underlines why we must act now.
Noun
B1
entity
3
line drawn under text
A line under a word or words to show they are important or marked.
Usage pattern:
to have/put [an] underline under [a word]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"do an underline"* instead of "draw an underline" or "add an underline". They may also confuse "underline" (the line itself) with "underlining" (the general style or action of underlining).
Synonyms
underscore (In typography and computing, can refer to a similar horizontal mark; also the name of the '_' character.)
Antonyms
blank space (Refers to the absence of any line or marking under the text.)
Collocations
single underline
|double underline
|red underline
|wavy underline
|bold and underline
|add an underline
Themes
writing
|design
|technology
|communication
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Use a double underline for main headings and a single underline for subheadings.
- In this document, links are shown with a blue underline.
- There is a red wavy underline under any word the spell-checker does not recognize.
- The teacher drew a thick underline beneath the correct answer.
- Remove the underline from the title to make it look cleaner.
Learner examples
- The link has a blue underline.
- I put an underline under my name.
- Please use a single underline for titles.
- There is a red underline under the wrong word.
- She drew an underline under the date.
Grammar
Dictionary form
underline
IPA
GB/ˈʌndɚlˌaɪn/
US/ˈʌndɚlˌaɪn/
Syllables & stress
un - der - line (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (un)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: underline
- Plural: underlines
Verb
- Base: underline
- 3rd Person Singular: underlines
- Present Participle: underlining
- Past: underlined
Word family
Forms
underlines
noun
underlining
verb
underlined
verb
Related words
line
noun A1
Expressions
underline the fact that
1/ˈʌndɚlˌaɪn ðə fˈækt ðˈæt/
fixed phrase
formal
stress that something is true
To show very clearly that something is true or real.
Examples
- This decision underlines the fact that the company is changing direction.
- The research underlines the fact that climate change is already affecting us.
underline the importance of
1/ˈʌndɚlˌaɪn ðə ɪmpˈɔɹtəns əv/
fixed phrase
formal
stress how important something is
To show very clearly that something is very important.
Examples
- These statistics underline the importance of regular exercise.
- The teacher used this story to underline the importance of telling the truth.