as in downfall
something that is the cause of one's ultimate failure or loss of life
an intractable drug habit proved to be her sad undoing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in paralyzing
to deprive of courage or confidence
the sudden shriek undid the campers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unfastening
to disengage the knotted parts of
undo a tangled shoelace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bothering
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
the mere mention of the home invasion still had the power to undo her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of undoing
CNN Money, 13 May 2026
Schönheitsabend is an über-kitschy and deliberately Orientalist undoing of dance’s historical gendered roles.
—Caroline Lillian Schopp, Artforum, 13 May 2026
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
Keeping mandates, but with a new exemption On the legislative front, there was little progress on undoing mandates during the regular winter session.
—Kerry Sheridan, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for undoing
Noun
Opponents of the redrawn congressional district compared the undoing of the majority-Black district as a throwback to the Jim Crow era of racial discrimination in the Deep South.
—CNN Money, 13 May 2026
Schönheitsabend is an über-kitschy and deliberately Orientalist undoing of dance’s historical gendered roles.
—Caroline Lillian Schopp, Artforum, 13 May 2026
Verb
This law would take us backward, undoing the progress of the Big Cat Public Safety Act towards more dangerous interactions and more animals in cages.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
Keeping mandates, but with a new exemption On the legislative front, there was little progress on undoing mandates during the regular winter session.
—Kerry Sheridan, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for undoing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undoing
Noun
-
As Nick Saban mentioned, the former Alabama coach insists that the current system is going to be the downfall of athletic programs across the country.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
-
Last month, the government also charged a special forces soldier who made over $400,000 from Polymarket trades betting on the downfall of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Judge Salvador Vasquez sentenced Pouncey, 37, of Gary, to 176 years Friday for killing Klorya and her husband Kyle Matthews in April 2024, and paralyzing a third man, Malieke Thomas, 55, who later died.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
The plan would block global flights at certain airports, paralyzing travel for some of the biggest cities in the country — especially New York City.—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Transforming the cabin from sitting to sleeping is a group effort that includes unpacking the ladder (usually stowed beneath the seats with the luggage), unfastening the upper bunks, and making the beds.—
Emily Manthei,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Brunson turned on the boosters in the second half, attacking the Spurs' defense and showing little sign that his knee was bothering him.—
Alejandro Avila,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
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If certain smells or experiences are bothering you, here are some other tips for managing postpartum odor and sweat.—
Dory Zayas,
Parents,
28 May 2026
Noun
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She was arrested at a hotel near the barn and booked at the Clark County Juvenile Hall on 12 counts of animal cruelty, including intentionally aiming or torturing a horse, as well as three counts of malicious destruction of property.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
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The teen, who was at a nearby hotel, was taken into custody and booked for 12 counts of willful/malicious kill/maim/torture animal -- horse and three counts of felony malicious destruction of private property over $5,000, police said.—
Emily Shapiro,
ABC News,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
This war has been a disaster for them, frightening away foreign investors, tourists and talent and burdening them with a future of huge new defense bills to deter Iran after the United States is gone.—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
-
Clumsiness notwithstanding, bringing a criminal case against a journalist who was reporting on a protest is an authoritarian tactic—a means of frightening the press away from uncovering the truth.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Nationals took the lead for good in the seventh inning when rookie John Klein allowed a solo home run to Keibert Ruiz, untying a game that pinch hitter Josh Bell had knotted up a half-inning earlier.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
7 May 2026
Verb
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People who attend the trial will also be prohibited from reacting, gesturing, wearing distracting clothing or otherwise disrupting the proceedings.—
Matthew Ablon,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
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If anything, Horvath writes, ed tech broke American schools by pitching distracting multimedia to boost learning.—
Tyler Kingkade,
NBC news,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Undoing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undoing. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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