underlining idea

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "underlining idea" is not correct; it should be "underlying idea." You can use "underlying idea" when discussing the fundamental concept or principle that supports or informs a larger argument or theme.
Example: "The underlying idea of the novel revolves around the struggle for identity in a changing society."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The underlining idea is to pick points that are spaced apart, which hit all large enough disks.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

When the time has run out, look over what you have written and circle or underline ideas that you like or that you think that might be useful for your project.

WikiHow

Many tutors also opt to present awards at the end of the year, underlining the idea that form time is a purposeful, positive place where success is recognised.

The Guardian

Best of all, though, it would give pensioners an honoured category of their own, underlining the idea of the state pension as neither a privilege nor a handout, but an earned entitlement – and a pretty ungenerous one at that.

Independent

Underlining the idea that the Tucker Gala and the Met are now in competition, two of the evening's biggest draws aren't appearing across the plaza this season at all: Aprile Millo and Salvatore Licitra.

The New York Times - Arts

And potentially underlining the idea that a fighter is always only one punch away from peril, it wasn't until Taylor suffered a hard knockdown against Caleb Truax in April of 2012 that his sanity appeared to truly disintegrate.

The Guardian - Sport

The last few months have seen policy changes that encourage school pupils to assess £27,000 fees against an implicitly expected graduate salary premium, underlining the idea that university is primarily an employment-training scheme that can be assessed on an income and expenditure basis.

The Guardian

The LopT effector protein of P. luminescens can be injected by Y. enterocolitica into mammal cells [ 86], underlining the idea that both T3SS act similarly.

BMC Genomics

Moreover, such mechanisms may also account for highly specific interactions, even if the two species did co-exist in the wild, underlining the idea that past co-evolutionary events cannot be reliably deduced from the observation of specific interactions without further information (e.g. historical records of co-existence in nature or congruent phylogenies of host and parasite strains).

BMC Evolutionary Biology

The underline idea is that entities can join the system dynamically, publish their functionalities through a set of process fragments that can be used by other entities to interoperate, discover fragments offered by the other entities, and use them to automatically refine their own processes.

Journal of Internet Services and Applications

It also underlines the idea that this a past event – something complete and therefore successful.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer using "underlying idea" to refer to a foundational concept. For active emphasis, use verbs like "highlight", "emphasize", or "underscore" instead of "underlining."

Common error

Avoid using "underlining" when you mean "underlying". "Underlying" refers to something fundamental, while "underlining" means drawing a line beneath something or emphasizing it. To emphasize an idea, consider verbs like "highlight", "underscore", or "emphasize".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "underlining idea" attempts to function as a noun phrase, where "underlining" modifies "idea". However, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct form to express a foundational concept is "underlying idea". Ludwig AI points out that the intended meaning involves a base concept, not the act of emphasizing an idea.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "underlining idea" is grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig AI, the correct phrase to use when referring to a foundational concept is "underlying idea". This correction ensures clarity and precision in your writing. While sources like The New York Times and The Guardian may contain the incorrect phrase, adhering to proper grammar enhances credibility. Alternatives such as "core concept" or "fundamental principle" can also be used to convey the intended meaning effectively. Remember to emphasize ideas with verbs like "highlight" or "underscore" rather than the misnomer "underlining".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

underlying concept

Replaces "idea" with "concept", emphasizing the conceptual nature.

primary thought

Replaces "idea" with "thought", keeping the meaning very close.

key notion

Highlights the importance of the idea, using 'notion' as a synonym.

basic premise

Substitutes with a more foundational term, suggesting a fundamental assumption.

fundamental principle

Emphasizes the core rule or belief, shifting from a general 'idea'.

central theme

Focuses on the main subject or topic being emphasized.

core belief

Highlights a strongly held conviction as the focus.

main point

Shifts the focus to the most important part of an argument or discussion.

overarching theme

Emphasizes that the idea spans across an entire work or discussion.

driving force

Suggests the idea is an impetus or motivator.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "underlining idea"?

The correct phrase is "underlying idea", which refers to the basic or fundamental concept. "Underlining" is a verb that means to draw a line under something or to emphasize it, so it doesn't fit this context.

When should I use "underlying idea"?

Use "underlying idea" when you want to refer to the fundamental concept or principle on which something is based. For example, "The "underlying idea" of the theory is that all matter is energy".

What are some alternatives to "underlying idea"?

Some alternatives include "core concept", "basic premise", or "fundamental principle". These phrases all convey the sense of a foundational or essential concept.

How can I emphasize an idea in my writing?

Instead of using the incorrect phrase "underlining idea", you can emphasize an idea by using verbs like "highlight", "underscore", or "emphasize". For example, "The author wants to emphasize the importance of education."