undermine

verb

un·​der·​mine ˌən-dər-ˈmīn 

ˈən-dər-ˌmīn

undermined; undermining; undermines

transitive verb

1

: to subvert or weaken insidiously or secretly

trying to undermine his political rivals

2

: to weaken or ruin by degrees

3

: to wash away supporting material from under

4

: to excavate the earth beneath : form a mine under : sap

Choose the Right Synonym for undermine

weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, undermine, sap, disable mean to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor.

weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.

a disease that weakens the body's defenses

enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

a poor diet undermines your health

drugs had sapped his ability to think

disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

Examples of undermine in a Sentence

She tried to undermine my authority by complaining about me to my boss.

The events of the past year have undermined people's confidence in the government.

Recent Examples on the Web

She’s been undermining him all along, hiding the truth that his wife is still alive, roaming London as a crazed beggar woman. —Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024

Too often, city officials have undermined such alternative programs by making poor hiring choices, said Eddie Anderson, a pastor at McCarty Memorial Christian Church in Jefferson Park and a recent City Council candidate. —Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024

Unfortunately, some platforms and developers are employing AI to sabotage creativity and undermine artists, songwriters, musicians and rightsholders. —Laura Bratton, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2024

Be good to yourself, and protect against anyone who tries to undermine you. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024

But critics say the legislation could undermine the 2021 law meant to protect kids by requiring schools to register with the state, conduct background checks of employees, and undergo safety and health inspections. —Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2024

Xi had undermined investor confidence; entrepreneurs no longer saw the government as a dependable steward of the economy. —Nicholas R. Lardy, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2024

Sadly, the mishap undermined a year's worth of hard work. —Laura Lane, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024

Their capture of the political system undermined the very fundamentals of democracy. —Jon Grinspan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Kids Definition

undermine

verb

un·​der·​mine ˌən-dər-ˈmīn 

1

: to dig out or wear away the earth beneath

undermine a wall

2

: to weaken or ruin secretly or gradually

undermine a government