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

Then, in a move that appeared to be meant to undermine O'Brien, the Harris campaign invited multiple rank-and-file Teamsters members to participate in the convention festivities without their leader. —Daniel Klaidman, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2024

The Department of Justice is actively investigating Russian efforts to meddle in the election to undermine critics of its war in Ukraine. —Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 16 Aug. 2024

Some economists said the subsidies for homebuyers threaten to undermine the price cuts achieved through additional supply. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2024

Yet, as the Republican Party has shown with its own successful takeover of the Court, there are steps that Democrats — and supporters of constitutional democracy more broadly — can take now to start undermining this Court’s worst decisions. —Ian Millhiser, Vox, 15 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

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