un·der·cut
ˌən-dər-ˈkət 
undercut; undercutting
1
: to cut away the underpart of
undercut a vein of ore
2
: to cut away material from the underside of (an object) so as to leave an overhanging portion in relief
3
: to offer to sell at lower prices than or to work for lower wages than (a competitor)
4
: to cut obliquely into (a tree) below the main cut and on the side toward which the tree will fall
5
: to strike (a ball) with a downward glancing blow so as to give a backspin or elevation to the shot
6
: to undermine or destroy the force, value, or effectiveness of
inflation undercuts consumer buying power
: to perform the action of cutting away beneath
un·der·cut
ˈən-dər-ˌkət
1
British
: tenderloin sense 1
2
: the action or result of cutting away from the underside or lower part of something
3
: a notch cut in the base of a tree before felling to determine the direction of falling and to prevent splitting
Examples of undercut in a Sentence
Verb
They undercut the competing store by 10 percent.
a law that undercuts the Constitution
Her behavior undercuts her own credibility.
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Imports surged from 7 billion euros in 2021 to 13 billion euros the following year, causing gluts and undercutting farmers, particularly in Poland.
—Raf Casert, Quartz, 18 Apr. 2024
While the rule issued Tuesday adopts the limit recommended in 1974, some miner-safety advocates worry that its benefits will be undercut by weak enforcement.
—Chris Hamby, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
She’s meant to be cold and calculating, but Zendaya has an inherent warmth that sometimes undercuts the chilly, pathological obsession with winning that defines Tashi’s raison d’etre.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 12 Apr. 2024
China’s growing output of solar panels led their price to drop 80% between 2008 and 2013, badly undercutting U.S. manufacturers.
—Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Apr. 2024
But the positive tone has been undercut by rising concerns in Europe and the United States about a surge of cheap Chinese exports — most notably green technologies but also electronic appliances and steel — that could put international competitors out of business.
—Christian Shepherd, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
My records and other research revealed a trend, showing that Thailand was just one of more than a dozen countries where the U.S. sought to undercut formula restrictions.
—Heather Vogell, ProPublica, 10 Apr. 2024
By doing so, the United States and its partners are effectively going around Israel and undercutting an important part of its negotiating strategy.
—Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2024
Daley Quinn, Verywell Health, 1 Apr. 2024
This dramatic style features an ultra-short undercut on one side, while letting the other side skim long down the face.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2024
In a letter to its fleet, Trident blamed a saturated market, Russian undercuts and inflation for the price.
—Christina McDermott, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Aug. 2023
Youngsters sit in his chair asking for undercuts — long on the top, short on the bottom.
—Haeven Gibbons, Dallas News, 31 May 2023
Swinton's undercut was tapered and faded at the sides as the strands directly above the crown cuffed inward with great length.
—Chelsea Avila, Allure, 6 Dec. 2022
Lee Rosbach glances disapprovingly at the waiter, who sports a severe undercut.
—Meredith Blakestaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2022
Siwa’s new undercut evokes Holtzmann in Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, Cameron Esposito and Natalie Dormer in their half-hair eras, and of course, Spider-Gwen.
—Vulture, 7 Apr. 2022
Matt Ryan dropped back, maneuvered around pressure and fired a 5-yard throw in Pittman Jr.'s direction that Steelers cornerback James Pierre undercut for an interception.
—Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Dec. 2022
Verb
In the most glaring example, since the start of the war in Ukraine, China has supplied Russia with semiconductors and other essential technologies that Russia previously imported from the West, undercutting the efficacy of Western export controls.
—Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Imports surged from 7 billion euros in 2021 to 13 billion euros the following year, causing gluts and undercutting farmers, particularly in Poland.
—Raf Casert, Quartz, 18 Apr. 2024
While the rule issued Tuesday adopts the limit recommended in 1974, some miner-safety advocates worry that its benefits will be undercut by weak enforcement.
—Chris Hamby, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
She’s meant to be cold and calculating, but Zendaya has an inherent warmth that sometimes undercuts the chilly, pathological obsession with winning that defines Tashi’s raison d’etre.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 12 Apr. 2024
China’s growing output of solar panels led their price to drop 80% between 2008 and 2013, badly undercutting U.S. manufacturers.
—Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Apr. 2024
But the positive tone has been undercut by rising concerns in Europe and the United States about a surge of cheap Chinese exports — most notably green technologies but also electronic appliances and steel — that could put international competitors out of business.
—Christian Shepherd, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
My records and other research revealed a trend, showing that Thailand was just one of more than a dozen countries where the U.S. sought to undercut formula restrictions.
—Heather Vogell, ProPublica, 10 Apr. 2024
By doing so, the United States and its partners are effectively going around Israel and undercutting an important part of its negotiating strategy.
—Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2024
Noun
There are many different types of taste buds, but all have stalks and papilla that round out with undercuts under the stalks, similar to the shape of a mushroom, explains Dr. Fraundorf.
—Daley Quinn, Verywell Health, 1 Apr. 2024
This dramatic style features an ultra-short undercut on one side, while letting the other side skim long down the face.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2024
In a letter to its fleet, Trident blamed a saturated market, Russian undercuts and inflation for the price.
—Christina McDermott, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Aug. 2023
Youngsters sit in his chair asking for undercuts — long on the top, short on the bottom.
—Haeven Gibbons, Dallas News, 31 May 2023
Swinton's undercut was tapered and faded at the sides as the strands directly above the crown cuffed inward with great length.
—Chelsea Avila, Allure, 6 Dec. 2022
Lee Rosbach glances disapprovingly at the waiter, who sports a severe undercut.
—Meredith Blakestaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2022
Siwa’s new undercut evokes Holtzmann in Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, Cameron Esposito and Natalie Dormer in their half-hair eras, and of course, Spider-Gwen.
—Vulture, 7 Apr. 2022
Matt Ryan dropped back, maneuvered around pressure and fired a 5-yard throw in Pittman Jr.'s direction that Steelers cornerback James Pierre undercut for an interception.
—Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Dec. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'undercut.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to undercut
Dictionary Entries Near undercut
Cite this Entry
“Undercut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undercut. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
undercut
1 of 2 verb
un·der·cut
ˌən-dər-ˈkət
undercut; undercutting
1
: to cut away the underpart of something or material beneath something
2
: to offer to sell at lower prices than or to work for lower wages than
undercut a competitor
3
: to strike so as to give a backspin or height to the shot
a tennis player undercutting the ball
undercut
2 of 2 noun
un·der·cut
ˈən-dər-ˌkət
: the action or result of undercutting
Medical Definition
undercut
noun
un·der·cut
ˈən-dər-ˌkət
: the part of a tooth lying between the gum and the points of maximum outward bulge on the tooth's surfaces
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