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

The experiment has helped undercut the yellow-vest movement, which has ripped through France in recent months, destroying storefronts and sowing political uncertainty in the heart of Europe. — Noemie Bisserbe, WSJ, "French Press for Tax Cuts as Macron Pressured to Deliver Change," 8 Apr. 2019 But in 2014, the utilities were able to cut their rates and undercut the community agencies. — David R. Baker, San Francisco Chronicle, "A new type of public power is growing in California, and raising alarms," 26 May 2018 The $99 fares to Europe sold themselves and prompted plenty of giddy news coverage about upstarts undercutting the airlines of old. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "Are the Discount Airlines Doomed?," 29 Mar. 2019 Those flights have long been the bane of the U.S. carriers, who argue the flights undercut their own routes. — USA TODAY, "U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, Eric Greitens trial: 5 things you need to know Monday," 14 May 2018 What’s particularly frustrating about this is that, as Apocalypse undercuts its own stakes by focusing its attention on the all-powerful Mallory, other characters’ development and sacrifices are simultaneously rendered moot. — Alex Abad-santos, Vox, "American Horror Story: Apocalypse was somehow both absolutely nuts and largely forgettable," 18 Nov. 2018 But objections are frequently being submitted just as the comment period closes, undercutting the requester’s ability to fire back. — Richard Lardner, The Seattle Times, "Accusations fly as firms seek to avoid Trump’s steel tariff," 31 July 2018 Bad numbers haven't been the only issue to undercut the program. — Brad Schmidt, OregonLive.com, "Portland mayor proposes funding cut to program built on make-believe numbers," 4 May 2018 In the final act, particularly, so much is happening on-screen that the movie’s style seems to undercut the narrative, turning everything into a blur of shape, color, and movement. — Bryan Bishop, The Verge, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is dazzling, hilarious, and unique," 14 Dec. 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.