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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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.
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of undermining
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
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
More like completely disrupting and undermining public education, using students as pawns to make a political statement.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
For most of the evening, the mood is darkly funny and a little ominous, as the siblings take undermining jabs and the in-laws roll their eyes.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
Nonetheless, the company’s foreboding forecast highlights a rapidly changing labor landscape as colleges and universities face an existential threat, undermining the value of degrees.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 11 Mar. 2026
There was defensive frailty and profligacy undermining their own attacking efforts.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
In 2025, the DOJ charged Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Hall of Fame player Chauncey Billups, and former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones for alleged roles in undermining the integrity of games.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 Mar. 2026
Missing weeks of school For immigrant children who remain enrolled, the risk of academic failure is increasing as absences pile up, undermining the dream of an American education that was often a key reason their parents came to the United States.
—Camila Gomez, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026
Patriotism is also a factor, and expressions of fear can be seen as undermining a nation under attack.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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
Even the scenes in the endlessly maligned New York City (played at least partially by Fort Worth, Texas) look beautiful, undermining the nightmarish declarations of Sheridan’s scripts.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
More like completely disrupting and undermining public education, using students as pawns to make a political statement.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
For most of the evening, the mood is darkly funny and a little ominous, as the siblings take undermining jabs and the in-laws roll their eyes.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
Nonetheless, the company’s foreboding forecast highlights a rapidly changing labor landscape as colleges and universities face an existential threat, undermining the value of degrees.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 11 Mar. 2026
There was defensive frailty and profligacy undermining their own attacking efforts.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
In 2025, the DOJ charged Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Hall of Fame player Chauncey Billups, and former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones for alleged roles in undermining the integrity of games.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 Mar. 2026
Missing weeks of school For immigrant children who remain enrolled, the risk of academic failure is increasing as absences pile up, undermining the dream of an American education that was often a key reason their parents came to the United States.
—Camila Gomez, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026
Patriotism is also a factor, and expressions of fear can be seen as undermining a nation under attack.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undermining
Noun
-
Construction has seen a steady erosion in pay relative to other sectors over the last half century — including since pre-pandemic — though wages have started growing faster than the national average again over the last few years.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Groundcovers also help the garden by shading the soil, conserving moisture, and preventing erosion.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
If the goal instead is regime weakening—enfeebling the Islamic Republic so the Iranian public could overwhelm it—there are two ways forward.—
Dennis Ross,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Weak onshore flows will then return Saturday, which combined with a weakening high pressure system are expected to bring five to 10 degrees of cooling to the coasts and valleys but little change across interior sections, according to the weather service.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The attack hit four districts, damaging residential buildings, educational institutions, enterprises and critical infrastructure, the head of the regional administration, Mykola Kalashnyk, wrote in a social media post.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Mar. 2026
-
However, cultivators can't get rid of weeds close to plants without damaging the vegetables.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And what’s happening in the West Bank on a daily basis is eroding this possibility.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Dallas is spending millions of dollars to address erosion along the trail after a 2024 report found 1,100 feet of shoreline along Garland Road is eroding and will fail without intervention.—
Sarah Bahari,
Dallas Morning News,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
By impairing onboard cameras and targeting optics, the platform offers a non-kinetic method of mitigating UAV threats without physically destroying the aircraft.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
-
These compounds may block iodine transport to the thyroid, impairing thyroid function.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
These shoes are great for travelers who want easy slip-on convenience without compromising on their style.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Offering running commentary on depositions outside of the courtroom risks compromising witness testimony, affecting the integrity of evidence review, and impacting ongoing judicial proceedings.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Undermining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undermining. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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