Horizontal alignment under a character (word)

Question

I am trying to align some text in the following way (shown below from a word processor):

What is the best way to do this?  Should I use makeboxes?
Here is a MWE:
documentclass{article}

begin{document}

begin{itemize}
item{In outer space,
the change in pressure is dominated by unicorns at low temperature;
by gnomes at moderate temperature; and
by dwarves at high temperature.}
item{Underwater,
the change in pressure is dominated by lemmings at low temperature;
by elves at moderate temperature; and
by trolls at high temperature.}
end{itemize}

end{document}

leandriis · Accepted Answer

You could use phantom for example as follows:

documentclass{article}
usepackage{geometry}
newcommand{myplaceholder}{phantom{the change in pressure is dominated }}

begin{document}

begin{itemize}
item{In outer space,
the change in pressure is dominated by unicorns at low temperature;
myplaceholder by gnomes at moderate temperature; and
myplaceholder by dwarves at high temperature.}
item{Underwater,
the change in pressure is dominated by lemmings at low temperature;
myplaceholder by elves at moderate temperature; and
myplaceholder by trolls at high temperature.}
end{itemize}

end{document}

Here is an alternative version using widthof from the calc package in combination with hspace:

documentclass{article}
usepackage{geometry}

usepackage{calc}
newlength{mylength}
setlength{mylength}{widthof{the change in pressure is dominated}}

begin{document}

begin{itemize}
item{In outer space,
the change in pressure is dominated by unicorns at low temperature;

hspace{mylength} by gnomes at moderate temperature; and

hspace{mylength} by dwarves at high temperature.}
item{Underwater,
the change in pressure is dominated by lemmings at low temperature;

hspace{mylength} by elves at moderate temperature; and

hspace{mylength} by trolls at high temperature.}
end{itemize}

end{document}

Zarko · Answer

by use of the tabular:

documentclass{article}

begin{document}

begin{itemize}
item   In outer space,
        the change in pressure is dominated 
            begin{tabular}[t]{@{} l}
            by unicorns at low temperature;
            by gnomes at moderate temperature; and
            by dwarves at high temperature.
            end{tabular}

item   In outer space,
        the change in pressure is dominated
            begin{tabular}[t]{@{} l}
            by unicorns at low temperature;
            by gnomes at moderate temperature; and
            by dwarves at high temperature.
            end{tabular}
end{itemize}

end{document}

Steven B. Segletes · Answer

With a Longunderstack.
documentclass{article}
usepackage{stackengine}
setstackEOL{}
begin{document}

begin{itemize}
item In outer space,
the change in pressure is dominated Longunderstack[l]{%
by unicorns at low temperature;
by gnomes at moderate temperature; and
by dwarves at high temperature.}
item Underwater,
the change in pressure is dominated Longunderstack[l]{%
by lemmings at low temperature;
by elves at moderate temperature; and
by trolls at high temperature.}
end{itemize}

end{document}

John Kormylo · Answer

This solution uses a parbox.  Note that there really isn't enough room on the page for the "and."
documentclass{article}
usepackage{showframe}
begin{document}

begin{itemize}
sbox0{the change in pressure is dominated }% measure width
item In outer space,
usebox0parbox[t]{dimexpr linewidth-wd0}{% remaining space
by unicorns at low temperature;
by gnomes at moderate temperature; and
by dwarves at high temperature.}

item Underwater,
usebox0parbox[t]{dimexpr linewidth-wd0}{%
by lemmings at low temperature;
by elves at moderate temperature; and
by trolls at high temperature.}
end{itemize}

end{document}

Horizontal alignment under a character (word)

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