as in weakens
to make (someone or something) weaker or less effective usually in a secret or gradual way
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.
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Recent Examples of undermines
Cherry-picking statistics to suit a narrative — a form of confirmation bias, as described in the commission’s view — is dangerous and undermines the diligence that should come from responsible statistical analysis.
—
Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
Going back further undermines those comparisons.
—John S. Tobey, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
This undermines claims of a manufacturing revival.
—Jordan Green, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Sep. 2025
Police misconduct obviously undermines the public’s belief in the legitimacy of the police as well as trust in the criminal justice system.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 4 Sep. 2025
In reality, the opt-out undermines the basis of the cost savings and will lead to bulk billing being phased out.
—Janus Norman, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Nearly half of agency personnel were found to be logging into social media accounts during work hours, a practice the department argued undermines operational readiness and poses cybersecurity concerns.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Still others said Kennedy’s announcement undermines trust in doctors and sows doubt in their ability to care for patients.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2025
The president’s decision to take over the District of Columbia police, along with expanding immigration and policing enforcement in blue cities such as Chicago, undermines a constitutional framework designed to check the executive branch.
—Joel Day, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025
Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
Going back further undermines those comparisons.
—John S. Tobey, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
This undermines claims of a manufacturing revival.
—Jordan Green, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Sep. 2025
Police misconduct obviously undermines the public’s belief in the legitimacy of the police as well as trust in the criminal justice system.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 4 Sep. 2025
In reality, the opt-out undermines the basis of the cost savings and will lead to bulk billing being phased out.
—Janus Norman, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Nearly half of agency personnel were found to be logging into social media accounts during work hours, a practice the department argued undermines operational readiness and poses cybersecurity concerns.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Still others said Kennedy’s announcement undermines trust in doctors and sows doubt in their ability to care for patients.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2025
The president’s decision to take over the District of Columbia police, along with expanding immigration and policing enforcement in blue cities such as Chicago, undermines a constitutional framework designed to check the executive branch.
—Joel Day, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undermines
Verb
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Any delay in release weakens hatchlings and affects their survival rates.—
M. Rajshekhar,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
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Beyond 100 people, culture often fragments, communication distorts and the founder’s vision weakens.—
Jonathan Low,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Copper erodes naturally during the distillation process, Morris told me.—
Maggie Menderski,
The Courier-Journal,
12 Sep. 2025
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An act like this just further feeds into the cycle of fear, grievance and retaliation that erodes democratic norms and highlights the dangerous realities that public figures across the political spectrum now have to deal with.—
Nick Mordowanec
Jason Lemon,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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While alcohol typically impairs coordination and reaction time, drugs present a more complex picture.—
Andrew Yockey,
The Conversation,
11 Sep. 2025
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This imbalance undermines trust, impairs decision-making and fuels agency problems.—
Michael Hilb,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This interaction damages skin cells and can trigger irritation, redness, stinging or burning.—
Leslie Baumann,
Miami Herald,
4 Sep. 2025
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If the power outage is specific to your home, say a lightning strike damages your electrical system, things change.—
Kristine Gill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Undermines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undermines. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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