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

Negotiations serve not only to address collective goods but also increasingly to secure geopolitical advantage, often undermining cooperative outcomes. —Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 26 Sep. 2025

But the immediacy of One Battle After Another—with its ICE-like detention camps, unlawful militias storming American streets, and elites who promote white supremacy in closed-door meetings—was intended to embellish the spirit of Vineland rather than undermine it. —Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Sep. 2025

Additionally, submitting the list only weeks before the fiscal year ends, lawmakers must choose between accepting the plan and risking undermining Congress’s decisions on federal spending, or fighting and risking the money disappearing when the deadline passes, the paper added. —Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025

French said the changes undermine her authority and could lead to misinformation being spread into the community. —Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Rhymes for undermine

• acridine
• alkaline
• andesine
• anodyne
• anticline
• arginine
• asinine
• atropine
• benzidine
• borderline
• byzantine
• calamine

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