as in erosion
a gradual weakening, loss, or destruction
the view that the constant mudslinging and negative campaigning contributes to the undermining of the public's faith in politics and government
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in weakening
to make (someone or something) weaker or less effective usually in a secret or gradual way
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.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of undermining
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
4 June 2026
The concentration of power in one person, the undermining of elections, disregarding the rule of law, the weakening checks and balances, and replacing constitutional loyalty with personal loyalty.
—
Letters To The Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Mar. 2026
This is a direct undermining of the idea of art.
—
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Long commute times are certainly frustrating, but continual undermining of mass transit projects isn’t going to solve the problem.
—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Jan. 2026
What is the purpose of this layering and undermining of the story’s authenticity?
—
John Swansburg,
The Atlantic,
10 Oct. 2025
The undermining of an independent judiciary.
—
Richard Stengel,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
What is required is a pullback - on huge deficits, on aggravating international and internal relationships, and on the undermining of historical foundations of the United States.
—
John S. Tobey,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Flores and Cantello also said many of their colleagues were placed on administrative leave after signing a letter of dissent criticizing EPA leadership’s undermining of public trust and disregard for scientific consensus.
—
William Tong,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Aug. 2025
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
The following evening, three legislators complained to me that several of these groups were actively undermining one another.
—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
28 June 2026
Facilitating investment in Ukraine’s natural resources sector would put more minerals and gas under US influence, and leverage them to achieve the broader foreign policy objective of undermining Russia.
—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
25 June 2026
Kirk had disappeared from their feeds, and Erika Kirk had gone viral for the wrong reasons—taking the stage at her husband’s memorial service amid pyrotechnics and attempting her own campus tour, undermining her image as a Christian trad wife whose priorities were her family and her home.
—
Eliza Griswold,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
Voting against suspension has its own set of dangers, such as undermining trust in city government.
—
Los Angeles City Hall,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Even after the revolution, prominent Sudanese preacher Abdulhay Yousif said the establishment of a women’s football league was aimed at undermining religion.
—
ABC News,
17 June 2026
Noun
The fine reflected an improper disclosure of a draft candidate’s data and the undermining of trade secrets.
—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
4 June 2026
The concentration of power in one person, the undermining of elections, disregarding the rule of law, the weakening checks and balances, and replacing constitutional loyalty with personal loyalty.
—
Letters To The Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Mar. 2026
This is a direct undermining of the idea of art.
—
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Long commute times are certainly frustrating, but continual undermining of mass transit projects isn’t going to solve the problem.
—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Jan. 2026
What is the purpose of this layering and undermining of the story’s authenticity?
—
John Swansburg,
The Atlantic,
10 Oct. 2025
The undermining of an independent judiciary.
—
Richard Stengel,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
What is required is a pullback - on huge deficits, on aggravating international and internal relationships, and on the undermining of historical foundations of the United States.
—
John S. Tobey,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Flores and Cantello also said many of their colleagues were placed on administrative leave after signing a letter of dissent criticizing EPA leadership’s undermining of public trust and disregard for scientific consensus.
—
William Tong,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
Introducing such evidence can provoke sympathy for the defendant and distrust towards the prosecuting attorney, potentially undermining the case.
—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
The following evening, three legislators complained to me that several of these groups were actively undermining one another.
—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
28 June 2026
Facilitating investment in Ukraine’s natural resources sector would put more minerals and gas under US influence, and leverage them to achieve the broader foreign policy objective of undermining Russia.
—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
25 June 2026
Kirk had disappeared from their feeds, and Erika Kirk had gone viral for the wrong reasons—taking the stage at her husband’s memorial service amid pyrotechnics and attempting her own campus tour, undermining her image as a Christian trad wife whose priorities were her family and her home.
—
Eliza Griswold,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
Voting against suspension has its own set of dangers, such as undermining trust in city government.
—
Los Angeles City Hall,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Even after the revolution, prominent Sudanese preacher Abdulhay Yousif said the establishment of a women’s football league was aimed at undermining religion.
—
ABC News,
17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undermining
Noun
-
Emergency specialists warn that Venezuela lacks the institutional capacity and disaster-management infrastructure typically needed to handle a catastrophe of this scale, particularly amid years of economic collapse and institutional erosion.
-
And the story told by the events of that year, and of the decades since, is the story of the slow erosion of congressional power.
Verb
-
Negotiating with Iran at the table, in his view, risks strengthening Iran’s role in Lebanon and weakening Lebanon’s own government.
-
Several countermeasures aimed at overturning or weakening the billionaire tax have also made the November ballot.
Verb
-
Using X-ray and advanced sensors, PNNL scientists have been able to monitor material health without damaging components being tested.
-
How to Remove Deodorant Stains With Baking Soda Baking soda is a natural deodorizer and a mild abrasive that helps lift both fresh and set-in deodorant stains without damaging fabrics, says Sokolowski.
Verb
-
Each new channel brings new risk of eroding consumer trust if it’s not carefully managed.
-
But experts and users warn that technology risks eroding authenticity and chemistry at the heart of real-world relationships.
Verb
-
That match carries a 70% probability of performance-impairing heat.
-
The death was classified as natural, with the pathologist noting that long-term alcohol use can increase the risk of aspiration pneumonia by impairing several of the body's protective reflexes and immune functions.
Verb
-
Since becoming mayor, though, Mamdani has piped down publicly on his calls for the freeze in order to avoid the appearance of compromising the board’s independence.
-
Devaluing democracy in the name of security and compromising rights or freedoms to ensure order and control are bad options.
Cite this Entry
“Undermining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undermining. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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