destabilize

verb

de·​sta·​bi·​lize (ˌ)dē-ˈstā-bə-ˌlīz 

destabilized; destabilizing; destabilizes

transitive verb

1

: to make unstable

2

: to cause (something, such as a government) to be incapable of functioning or surviving

destabilization

(ˌ)dē-ˌstā-bə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

Examples of destabilize in a Sentence

The group hoped the assassination of the new President would destabilize the government.

Economists warn that the crisis could destabilize the nation's currency.

Recent Examples on the Web

They have been replaced by ransomware groups — who want money from ransoms — and foreign disruptors — who want to destabilize the United States. —Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 3 June 2024

But in 2020 a team of energy experts at Princeton University concluded every remaining coal plant in the United States could close by 2030 without destabilizing the electric grid or driving up energy prices. —Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2024

There may be a sudden, shocking event that destabilizes everything in its vicinity, leaving you unsteady. —Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 9 Apr. 2024

This melting has also destabilized the ground in some areas, creating housing crises in the tundra as the shifting land affects infrastructure. —Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined at sense 1