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

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

Flores and Cantello also said many of their colleagues were placed on administrative leave after signing a letter of dissent criticizing EPA leadership’s undermining of public trust and disregard for scientific consensus. — William Tong, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025

Verb

Fighting escalated late last month, undermining the November 2022 peace agreement that ended a devastating two-year war. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026

Private equity firms also sometimes own both physician staffing firms and Independent Dispute Resolution entities, creating a conflict of interest and undermining the law's fairness. — Anna Schecter, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

Such conflicted messaging is undermining the alliance’s ability to deter Russia. — Julianne Smith, Foreign Affairs, 7 Oct. 2026

China has also entered the fray, with more of an eye to burnishing its image rather than undermining local politics. — The Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 6 Oct. 2026

Brazil’s attorney general last week accused the US of undermining Brazilian democracy — a central theme for incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who holds a razor-thin polling lead over Flávio Bolsonaro. — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Hamas has denied trying to carry out attacks or rebuild its arsenal and accuses Israel of undermining the Gaza peace deal. — Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026

Here’s how to make that long game work in your favor—and how to recognize and quit all of the habits that might be undermining your skin along the way. — Elizabeth Siegel, Allure, 2 Oct. 2026

But veteran tight end Chris Manhertz said the team views it as Harbaugh helping to improve the roster’s depth, not undermining Winston. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026