Synonyms of undermining

undermining 1 of 2

noun

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

• erosion
• corrosion
• waste
• decomposition
• attrition
• breakdown
• decay
• disintegration
• dissolution

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increase
• gain
• buildup

undermining

2 of 2

verb

present participle of undermine

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

• weakening
• damaging
• eroding
• impairing
• compromising
• deteriorating
• destroying
• hurting
• harming
• injuring
• crippling
• spoiling
• enfeebling
• vitiating
• marring
• enervating
• defacing
• disfiguring
• shattering
• breaking
• crossing (up)
• tarnishing
• bloodying
• wearing (away)
• scouring
• ruining
• blighting
• denting
• crabbing
• blemishing
• flawing
• washing out
• wrecking
• endamaging
• demolishing
• torturing
• wounding
• botching
• disabling
• hamstringing
• mutilating
• queering
• tormenting
• lacerating
• devastating
• wasting
• crushing
• decimating
• annihilating
• maiming
• dinging
• mangling
• battering
• dinting
• smashing
• pulverizing
• gumming (up)
• clobbering
• bashing
• razing
• wiping out
• totaling
• tearing down
• dashing
• desolating
• laming
• scourging
• doing in
• banging up

Dissimilar Words

• helping
• healing
• curing
• rehabilitating
• remedying
• rectifying
• improving
• revising
• enhancing
• remodeling
• editing
• enriching
• perfecting
• refining
• ameliorating
• bettering
• repairing
• rebuilding
• fixing
• reconstructing
• renovating
• revamping
• patching
• mending
• reconditioning
• meliorating
• doctoring

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of undermining

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

Chronic stress takes a serious toll on the body—accelerating aging, undermining cardiovascular health and degrading your immune and metabolic systems. — Shefali Raina, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

The strikes are part of Kyiv’s aerial campaign aimed at undermining Russia’s war effort, hurting its economy and making people feel the consequences of the Kremlin’s all-out invasion of Ukraine. — Dasha Litvinova, Fortune, 24 July 2026

Badmouthing the press, undermining the independence of the courts, and undermining confidence in elections, and so on. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 24 July 2026

The sun rules Leo, making this luminary operate with unusual strength here, which encourages us to pursue joy more deliberately and stop undermining the parts of ourselves that deserve to be seen. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026

Because while a £45 saving on electricity bills grabs headlines, the bigger question is whether his government can deliver those promises without undermining Britain's fiscal credibility. — Steve Sedgwick, CNBC, 21 July 2026

The act grants the NCAA absolute control over athlete eligibility through this antitrust shield, undermining federal and state law, specifically Title IX and who can compete in the women’s category. — Katie Uhlaender Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026

At least a dozen attacks on Ebola treatment centers and health workers in Congo’s Ituri province are undermining containment efforts, raising fresh alarm over safety at the outbreak’s epicenter. — Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2026

Odysseus is all too aware of his own role in undermining Zeus’ law with his Trojan horse. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 July 2026