Synonyms of undermines

undermines

verb

present tense third-person singular of undermine

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.

Related Words

• weakens
• erodes
• impairs
• damages
• compromises
• deteriorates
• destroys
• hurts
• injures
• cripples
• vitiates
• harms
• disfigures
• enfeebles
• enervates
• flaws
• shatters
• spoils
• defaces
• tarnishes
• crosses (up)
• mars
• breaks
• bloodies
• blights
• scours
• wears (away)
• washes out
• blemishes
• ruins
• crabs
• demolishes
• disables
• botches
• devastates
• endamages
• mutilates
• dents
• lacerates
• annihilates
• wounds
• mangles
• tortures
• decimates
• dings
• maims
• wrecks
• gums (up)
• torments
• pulverizes
• queers
• wastes
• clobbers
• smashes
• crushes
• wipes out
• hamstrings
• razes
• bashes
• dints
• desolates
• totals
• lames
• tears down
• does in
• dashes
• batters
• scourges
• bangs up

Dissimilar Words

• helps
• heals
• rehabilitates
• rectifies
• cures
• improves
• enhances
• revises
• remedies
• enriches
• refines
• edits
• ameliorates
• perfects
• remodels
• repairs
• betters
• reconstructs
• doctors
• rebuilds
• fixes
• renovates
• reconditions
• mends
• revamps
• patches
• meliorates

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of undermines

There’s a sense that doubt would be a form of disloyalty to what came before you, or that admitting a weakness undermines the confidence of the people around you. — Flavio Maluf, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Thiel is making a category error that undermines his entire argument. — David Gibson, The Verge, 20 Oct. 2026

Fredendall argued that the outcome undermines promises made to California voters when Proposition 57 was approved. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

The deteriorating security situation undermines decades of effort to attract Western capital to the Middle East and may herald a period of investment uncertainty that would be detrimental to the whole region. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2026

The lack of close coordination between these simple details undermines the structure’s coherence and intent. — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Changing expectations or considering proposals without comparable information undermines confidence in both the process and its recommendations. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026

My own research on political communication has shown that a substantial number of members of Congress, strongly skewing Republican, make frequent use of rhetoric that undermines democratic norms and delegitimizes political institutions. — Christopher Miller, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2026

Opponents of the death penalty say Robertson’s case undermines claims that executions deter murder. — David Fischer, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026