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
Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
For now, the reallocation is relatively orderly, and has not undercut the stability of consumer cyclicals, financial stocks or industrials, and thus would seem to be saying little about the macroeconomic setup.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2025
M. J. Corey, New Yorker, 24 May 2025
An undercut is when a driver pits for new tires, using their speed advantage to gain a position on a rival who pits after.
—Ian Parkes, New York Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for undercut
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Verb
This can undercut Mamdani's support but not lead to a surge in any one candidate unless at least one of the other candidates with noticeable support drops out, since the vote is being divided.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
For now, the reallocation is relatively orderly, and has not undercut the stability of consumer cyclicals, financial stocks or industrials, and thus would seem to be saying little about the macroeconomic setup.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
The judges’ most pointed questions are not coming off as epic undercuts to the Kardashian empire but, instead, as meagre and outdated.
—M. J. Corey, New Yorker, 24 May 2025
An undercut is when a driver pits for new tires, using their speed advantage to gain a position on a rival who pits after.
—Ian Parkes, New York Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for undercut
Cite this Entry
“Undercut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undercut. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
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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