undermine

She tried to undermine my authority by complaining about me to my boss.

The events of the past year have undermined people's confidence in the government.

When we published the early results of our investigation, the British public learned for the first time of the Ring of Five’s betrayal. Philby’s attempts to undermine Western security, we found, had been constant and relentless, his access to our secrets apparently total. We homed in on two examples. The first was his job in charge of SIS’s anti-Soviet section. If the officer in charge of Britain’s anti-Soviet plans was a Soviet agent himself, how could any anti-Soviet operation succeed? —“Turning the Philby Case on Its Head” P. 51, Phillip Knightley, THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS Vol. LIV No. 7, April 26, 2007

Now they just have been getting beat. Weakened by injuries to center Steven Reinprecht and Mike Comrie and right wing Shane Doan, and undermined by erratic goaltending from Curtis Joseph, the Coyotes are, as one player said, “out of sync.” —“Hockey” P. 59, Michael Farber, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED Vol. 105 No. 20, November 20, 2006

“ ‘…. Cluny returned by night, and with his band of rats gnawed away and undermined much of the wooden shoring. This caused the mine to collapse the next day, killing the owners.’” —“Chapter 7” The Wall P. 37, REDWALL, Brian Jacques, FIREBIRD Published by Penguin Group (1986) 2002

As bin Laden’s admirers appear to grow in number, the question is again being asked: Can the Saudi royals withstand the increasing pressures undermining political stability in the most vital energy-producing region of the world? —“The Uneasy Ally” P. 61, Scott MacLeod, TIME Vol. 158 No. 17, October 15, 2001

“It isn’t funny!” Mr. Weasley shouted. “That sort of behavior seriously undermines wizards-Muggle relations! I spend half my life campaigning against the mistreatment of Muggles, and my own sons —” —Chapter Five “Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes” p. 53, HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, J. K. Rowling, Arthur A. Levine Books 2000

... the "politically driven 'reformation'" of the American military over the past decade through a policy of integrating women completely. This policy, she says, has undermined readiness. —"Make War, Not Nice!" P. 12, Carol Gilligan, THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, May 7, 2000

Having condemned scores of humble men and women, he denounced Count Henry of Sayn. Local Church and State leaders were horrified: inquisitors were supposed to underpin the social order not undermine it. An assembly at Mainz reversed Conrad’s decision but he insisted that it had no power to do so. His enemies wasted no more time on argument. Conrad and his party were attacked and murdered as they left the city. After this, the Inquisition was never accepted throughout most of Germany. —“Chapter Nine” P. 229, REFORMATIONS, Felipe Fernández-Armesto (Brit) & Derek Wilson (Brit), Scribner 270 F39r (1996) 1997