undermine

Synonym Chooser

How is the word undermine distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of undermine are cripple, debilitate, disable, enfeeble, sap, and weaken. While all these words mean "to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor," 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

When is cripple a more appropriate choice than undermine?

The meanings of cripple and undermine largely overlap; however, cripple implies causing a serious loss of functioning power through damaging or removing an essential part or element.

crippled by arthritis

When can debilitate be used instead of undermine?

While the synonyms debilitate and undermine are close in meaning, debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

When could disable be used to replace undermine?

The words disable and undermine can be used in similar contexts, but disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

When is it sensible to use enfeeble instead of undermine?

Although the words enfeeble and undermine have much in common, enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

When might weaken be a better fit than undermine?

The words weaken and undermine are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of undermine The impact of those bombs is buried under a mountain of rubble in Iran; so anyone who says the bombs were not devastating is just trying to undermine the president and the successful mission. Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 26 June 2025 But there are few global institutions that Trump has not managed to undermine. Massimo Calabresi, Time, 26 June 2025 The Department of Homeland Security’s utter lack of respect for human rights and the rule of law now extends to undermining Congress’ oversight powers – several members of Congress have been denied entry into ICE detention centers. Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 26 June 2025 These weaknesses undermine its attractive valuation metrics and strong recent growth. Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for undermine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undermine
Verb
  • The first-quarter boom in U.S. trade is weakening, with merchandise trade somewhat atypically declining for the second straight month, according to my analysis of the the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data.
    Ken Roberts, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
  • The June jobs report showed strong headline numbers, but the underlying data pointed to a weakening labor market.
    Danny Bakst, Fortune, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • Alcohol intake also speeds up the heart rate and widens blood vessels, bringing an initial warmth to the skin, and impairs the body’s ability to regulate temperature, research has shown.
    Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2025
  • Presumably, this would be most valuable to people with attention deficit disorder, or other conditions that impair their sense of organization.
    John Werner, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Chatterjee notes that this is a brand with strong retention but declining acquisition potential due to eroding external perception.
    Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
  • Many of his directives this term have closely mirrored Project 2025, a conservative policy agenda that explicitly prioritizes eroding LGBTQ rights.
    Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2025
  • But opponents contend that industrial animal agriculture actually jeopardizes food security, by damaging local ecosystems, undermining traditional agricultural practices, and intensifying climate harms.
    Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • If medical schools don’t prepare students to lead clinical application of these tools, for-profit companies and private equity firms will focus solely on ways to lower costs, even when these approaches compromise medical care.
    Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
  • The horse helped compromised Indigenous power even before tribes had their first confrontations with the US Army.
    Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 6 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Undermine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undermine. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on undermine

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