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

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 The game’s custom songs are pretty unambiguous piracy, and Beat Saber could undercut a lot of them with official, downloadable tracks. — Adi Robertson, The Verge, "Why Beat Saber is my game of the year," 18 Dec. 2018 The company may be hoping to undercut Amazon and Kobo on price: Kindles start at $79, while Kobo e-readers start at $119. — Valentina Palladino, Ars Technica, "Barnes and Noble’s newest Kindle competitor is a 7-inch, $49 Nook," 3 Dec. 2018 Arrests were still more than double from 16,077 in June 2017, but the sharp decline from spring could undercut the Trump administration’s narrative of a border in crisis. — Time, "U.S. Border Patrol Arrests Dropped Sharply in June, Report Says," 3 July 2018 Arrests were still more than double from 16,077 in June 2017, but the sharp decline from spring could undercut the Trump administration’s narrative of a border in crisis. — Washington Post, "APNewsBreak: Border Patrol arrests drop sharply in June," 1 July 2018 Things to avoid Do not try to undercut the achievements of the other person. — Chris Chavez, SI.com, "The Art of the GOAT Debate: MJ vs. LeBron Examined," 11 June 2018 The cheapest third-party Google smart display is Lenovo's 8-inch model at $200, but the Google Home Hub is undercutting this device by fifty bucks. — Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, "Google Home Hub—Under the hood, it’s nothing like other Google smart displays," 10 Oct. 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.