undermine

verb

un·​der·​mine ˌən-dər-ˈmīn 

ˈən-dər-ˌmīn

undermined; undermining; undermines

transitive verb

1

: to subvert or weaken insidiously or secretly

trying to undermine his political rivals

2

: to weaken or ruin by degrees

3

: to wash away supporting material from under

4

: to excavate the earth beneath : form a mine under : sap

Choose the Right Synonym for undermine

weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, undermine, sap, disable mean to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor.

weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.

a disease that weakens the body's defenses

enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

a poor diet undermines your health

drugs had sapped his ability to think

disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

Examples of undermine in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

But scrutiny is not a licence to distort facts, amplify unsubstantiated allegations or manufacture distractions designed to undermine progress. — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026

Both of those effects, Maleki said, directly undermined US leverage in the more difficult nuclear talks and emboldened Iran to shrug off the ceasefire and keep attacking ships in the strait. — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Researchers fear 'undermining trial integrity' Billions of dollars are traded every week on the lightly regulated prediction market sites, where users bet on everything from movie reviews to elections to conflicts in the Middle East. — Bobby Allyn, NPR, 7 Aug. 2026

The coalition filed an amicus brief urging a federal judge in Idaho to block enforcement of the law while the lawsuit moves forward, arguing that the measure is unconstitutional and undermines the rights and safety of transgender students. — Darrielle Fair, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Rhymes for undermine

• alkaline
• andesine
• anodyne
• anticline
• arginine
• asinine
• benzidine
• borderline
• byzantine
• calamine
• caroline
• centerline

Kids Definition

undermine

verb

un·​der·​mine ˌən-dər-ˈmīn 

1

: to dig out or wear away the earth beneath

undermine a wall

2

: to weaken or ruin secretly or gradually

undermine a government