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
Both liberals and conservatives now reshape government through executive power and Supreme Court rulings instead of formal amendments, which undermines democratic participation.
—
Big Think, 10 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, another kind of natural fatty acid undermines these cells and may diminish the body's ability to stave off tumor growth.
—New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2025
Restricting vaccines in this way undermines protection for millions who need it.
—Flavia Mangan Colgan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Oct. 2025
In a letter, Ben’Ary warned that such politicization jeopardizes national security and undermines public trust in law enforcement.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
Drinking coffee near bedtime, or alongside melatonin, undermines its effectiveness.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2025
For Allen, this legal tool disproportionately undermines Black communities, eroding generational wealth and disconnecting families from their neighborhoods.
—Essence, 1 Oct. 2025
The survey also undermines the argument that tariffs will simply be a one-time price adjustment.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
But disinformation undermines advocacy for systemic changes and attention and resources from what actually improves quality of life for all people, including support, services, accommodations, and rights.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
Big Think, 10 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, another kind of natural fatty acid undermines these cells and may diminish the body's ability to stave off tumor growth.
—New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2025
Restricting vaccines in this way undermines protection for millions who need it.
—Flavia Mangan Colgan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Oct. 2025
In a letter, Ben’Ary warned that such politicization jeopardizes national security and undermines public trust in law enforcement.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
Drinking coffee near bedtime, or alongside melatonin, undermines its effectiveness.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2025
For Allen, this legal tool disproportionately undermines Black communities, eroding generational wealth and disconnecting families from their neighborhoods.
—Essence, 1 Oct. 2025
The survey also undermines the argument that tariffs will simply be a one-time price adjustment.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
But disinformation undermines advocacy for systemic changes and attention and resources from what actually improves quality of life for all people, including support, services, accommodations, and rights.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undermines
Verb
-
Broken heart syndrome, which is more formally known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, occurs when the heart muscle weakens temporarily and causes similar serious health concerns to those of a heart attack.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
8 Oct. 2025
-
That’s a three-year gap that may require retirees to withdraw a much larger percentage of their portfolio to cover, leaving them open to greater risk if the market weakens significantly.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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So, while firing a worker solely for a statement or a belief may be shortsighted, companies can and will take action when employee behavior erodes trust, respect, or collaboration.—
Johnny C. Taylor Jr,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
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Opponents of gender ideology say grouping the two distinctly different terms together erodes decades of progress made by the gay rights movement.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
If rain severely impairs your vision, pull over and wait for conditions to improve.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Oc Register,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Ten percent impairs performance and leaves you dizzy and faint.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Feinerman explained that dryness in the eyes can cause an inflammatory response that damages the pigment layer of the macula, accelerating eye aging.—
Claire Bugos,
Verywell Health,
25 Sep. 2025
-
These instructions help turn off the harmful protein that damages brain cells.—
Doc Louallen,
ABC News,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Undermines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undermines. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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