Synonyms of undermining

undermining 1 of 2

noun

as in erosion

a gradual weakening, loss, or destruction

the view that the constant mudslinging and negative campaigning contributes to the undermining of the public's faith in politics and government

Synonyms & Similar Words

• erosion
• corrosion
• waste
• decomposition
• attrition
• breakdown
• decay
• disintegration
• dissolution

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increase
• gain
• buildup

undermining

2 of 2

verb

present participle of undermine

as in weakening

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

• weakening
• damaging
• eroding
• impairing
• compromising
• deteriorating
• destroying
• hurting
• harming
• injuring
• crippling
• spoiling
• enfeebling
• vitiating
• marring
• enervating
• defacing
• disfiguring
• shattering
• breaking
• crossing (up)
• tarnishing
• bloodying
• wearing (away)
• scouring
• ruining
• blighting
• denting
• crabbing
• blemishing
• flawing
• washing out
• wrecking
• endamaging
• demolishing
• torturing
• wounding
• botching
• disabling
• hamstringing
• mutilating
• queering
• tormenting
• lacerating
• devastating
• wasting
• crushing
• decimating
• annihilating
• maiming
• dinging
• mangling
• battering
• dinting
• smashing
• pulverizing
• gumming (up)
• clobbering
• bashing
• razing
• wiping out
• totaling
• tearing down
• dashing
• desolating
• laming
• scourging
• doing in
• banging up

Dissimilar Words

• helping
• healing
• curing
• rehabilitating
• remedying
• rectifying
• improving
• revising
• enhancing
• remodeling
• editing
• enriching
• perfecting
• refining
• ameliorating
• bettering
• repairing
• rebuilding
• fixing
• reconstructing
• renovating
• revamping
• patching
• mending
• reconditioning
• meliorating
• doctoring

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of undermining

Noun

As is the assault on science, the undermining of research and the promotion of nutty nostrums by those at the highest levels of the federal government. — Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026

The fine reflected an improper disclosure of a draft candidate’s data and the undermining of trade secrets. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 4 June 2026

The concentration of power in one person, the undermining of elections, disregarding the rule of law, the weakening checks and balances, and replacing constitutional loyalty with personal loyalty. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2026

This is a direct undermining of the idea of art. — Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026

Long commute times are certainly frustrating, but continual undermining of mass transit projects isn’t going to solve the problem. — Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 4 Jan. 2026

What is the purpose of this layering and undermining of the story’s authenticity? — John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025

The undermining of an independent judiciary. — Richard Stengel, Time, 1 Oct. 2025

What is required is a pullback - on huge deficits, on aggravating international and internal relationships, and on the undermining of historical foundations of the United States. — John S. Tobey, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025

Verb

At the time of the last catastrophe, a convulsive shift in media consumption began undermining the value of the legacy distribution scheme, which in turn led to grave uncertainties related to revenue sharing. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 6 Nov. 2026

More fundamentally, Vietnam showed that misadventures abroad could boomerang, weakening American democracy and societal cohesion and, ultimately, undermining the country’s international standing. — David Sacks, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2026

Investors are concerned that regulatory hurdles and opposition to new data centers could slow the build-out, undermining the growth forecasts supporting chipmakers' valuations. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026

That is why undermining their legitimacy has become the focus of Netanyahu’s post-election strategy. — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026

The European Union fined Poland for undermining the rule of law. — ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026

But these same systems siphon away visitors, undermining the communities that maintain these sites. — Lauren Feiner, The Verge, 30 Oct. 2026

The shift helps explain why Trump’s effort to fulfill his promises has turned into a backlash, undermining one of the core issues that fueled his return to the White House. — Nicholas Riccardi, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026

Chapek made Iger a starring character in his own memoir, blaming him for undermining his leadership after selecting him for the top job. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026