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
John Leos, AZCentral.com, 25 Oct. 2025
This scenario may not fit all contexts, but these studies clearly undercut claims that polygyny is unequivocally harmful.
—David W. Lawson, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025
John Choong, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
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most pointed questions are not coming off as epic undercuts to the Kardashian empire but, instead, as meagre and outdated.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
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Verb
Trump’s comments faced criticism from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, which said increasing imports would undercut America’s cattle producers.
—John Leos, AZCentral.com, 25 Oct. 2025
This scenario may not fit all contexts, but these studies clearly undercut claims that polygyny is unequivocally harmful.
—David W. Lawson, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
Investors had initially feared that ASDA’s undercuts would lead to market leaders Tesco and Sainsbury’s having to lower prices to an unreasonable point in order to maintain their market shares.
—John Choong, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
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most pointed questions are not coming off as epic undercuts to the Kardashian empire but, instead, as meagre and outdated.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
See All Example Sentences for undercut
Cite this Entry
“Undercut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undercut. Accessed 31 Oct. 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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