undercut

verb

un·der·cut | \ ˌən-dər-ˈkət

undercut; undercutting

Definition of undercut

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: to perform the action of cutting away beneath

undercut

noun

un·der·cut | \ ˈən-dər-ˌkət

Definition of undercut (Entry 2 of 2)

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: Verb

Along with Lyft, the company has been shown to exacerbate traffic congestion in a lot of major cities, undercutting its central argument that ride-sharing can help drive down vehicle ownership. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, "The Verge 2018 tech report card: Uber," 29 Dec. 2018 Further undercutting the stakes is how Apocalypse, like Coven, relies on witchy powers of resurrection and healing. — Alex Abad-santos, Vox, "American Horror Story: Apocalypse was somehow both absolutely nuts and largely forgettable," 18 Nov. 2018 In what is becoming a tradition, the GOP is again engaging in suppression tactics to keep typically left-leaning African Americans and Latinos from the polls this election season, undercutting their voting rights. — Tyrone Beason / Columnist, The Seattle Times, "This is not the time to compromise: Our open society is worth fighting for," 29 Oct. 2018 Hyundai is known for making some of the more affordable cars on the market, but the Kona Electric won’t undercut much of its direct competition. — Sean O'kane, The Verge, "Hyundai’s Kona EV has great range and costs as much as the average car," 17 Dec. 2018 Their presence undercuts a Thai sense of nationhood that is girded by a triumvirate of institutions: the military, the monarchy and the Buddhist monastery. — Hannah Beech, New York Times, "Stateless and Poor, Some Boys in Thai Cave Had Already Beaten Long Odds," 10 July 2018 And so this undercuts the narrative of China being the global hegemon, the U.S. in terminal decline, that the Chinese will rule east Asia, all of that goes out the window in one summit. — Fox News, "How Trump differs from past presidents on North Korea," 12 June 2018 And since the Bolt EV's pre-tax credit MSRP is $37,495, the Korean battery EV manages to undercut it. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, "Hyundai finally gives us a price for the 2019 Kona EV—$29,995," 14 Dec. 2018 As pharmacy chains await Amazon.com Inc.’s entry into the prescription-drug market, the online retail giant is already undercutting them for nonprescription medicine for aches, colds and allergies. — Bloomberg, latimes.com, "Amazon is already undercutting prices on over-the-counter pills," 6 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Tons of celebrities have rocked undercuts over the years—including Kylie Jenner, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Cara Delevingne, and Natalie Dormer. — Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, "Selena Gomez Just Shaved Her Head," 23 Apr. 2018 An undercut is also a cool and easy way to add spice to just about any updo. — Rebecca Norris, Allure, "15 Undercut Ideas That Are Going to Give You Major Hair Inspo," 12 Apr. 2018 Jason Sudeikis and Ed Harris do strong work playing harshly estranged, somehow pulling us close to their off-putting characters before forced sentiment in the late going undercuts director Mark Raso’s film. — Tom Russo, BostonGlobe.com, "Ed Harris and Jason Sudeikis clash as father and son in ‘Kodachrome’," 18 Apr. 2018 See: glitter lip art, terranium eyes, bejeweled undercuts, and now? — Kelsi Zimmerman, Marie Claire, "Chic or Clownish? Pom Pom Makeup Is Now a Thing," 23 May 2017 The Justice Department’s move undercuts perhaps the most critical argument by advocates in the Texas case. — The Washington Post, Twin Cities, "Justice Department changes its position in high-profile Texas voter ID case," 27 Feb. 2017 The cut made the most of Taraji's previous undercut, with her kinks at full freedom. — Rachel Nussbaum, Glamour, "Taraji P. Henson's Natural Curls Are Everything, As Is the Reason Behind Them," 26 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'undercut.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.