undercut

verb

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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 But those moves to curb inflation and keep the economy from overheating might be undercut by economic slowdowns in Europe and China, Powell said in an interview on NPR's Marketplace on the day he was confirmed to a second term. — Harold Maass, The Week, 13 May 2022 The funds are investors in Activision Blizzard, and claim that misconduct by Kotick and the company's board have undercut shareholder value. — Brian Fung, CNN, 4 May 2022 The intensifying expressions of discontent show the growing impatience in parts of the country with strict Covid control measures that have trapped some people for weeks and have undercut economic growth. — Wenxin Fan, WSJ, 2 May 2022 But Ukraine’s deputy prime minister criticized the unilateral announcement, saying the Russians have undercut promises of safe passage before. — Washington Post, 26 Apr. 2022 The case had drawn national attention, including a documentary film, as lawyers for Ms. Lucio argued that evidence presented at trial undercut the case for murder in the death of her daughter, Mariah. — New York Times, 25 Apr. 2022 Hollow platitudes by a founder about AI ethics will absolutely undercut the startup teams and turn the Ethical AI banner into a worthless flag absent of any substance (do not poison the waters). — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2022 In theory, all three companies could lower their transaction fee and undercut Etsy, running the smaller marketplace out of business. — Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2022 Flores also accused the Broncos for conducting a sham interview 2019, claiming both teams undercut the league's Rooney Rule. — Dana Scott, The Arizona Republic, 7 Apr. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun There's been lots of buzz surrounding JoJo Siwa lately — and literally, in the case of her recent hair makeover that involved cutting off her signature ponytail and buzzing an undercut around her new short style. — Marci Robin, Allure, 14 Apr. 2022 Klosterman wanted additional seating, so Stocker found a U-turn swivel chair in gray from Bensen Furniture that features a cool undercut below the seat. — San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2022 The market establishes a FTD from lows, then returns to highs (or is not back to highs but is above the 200-day moving average at least three months after the lows with no undercut). — Randy Watts, Forbes, 28 Jan. 2022 An undercut is achieved by cutting or shaving the hair that lays on your scalp in the back of your head super short — while leaving the hair on top longer. — Megan Oster, chicagotribune.com, 10 Apr. 2021 Her head is half-shaved in an asymmetrical buzz cut, and we are obsessed with the first royal undercut. — Sarah Midkiff, refinery29.com, 18 Dec. 2020 Eagland cut Theron's hair into a precise undercut in the back. — Maya Allen, Marie Claire, 3 Sep. 2019 This actually isn't the first time Berry has revealed an artsy undercut. — Marci Robin, Allure, 16 May 2019 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, 23 Apr. 2018 See More

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.