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
Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 24 Mar. 2025
Avocados’ dependence upon megafaunal dispersion almost led to their undoing when all of these large mammals suddenly went extinct around 12,500 years ago due to human hunting, possibly also combined with environmental or climactic effects.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
His radicalization from the confines of his own bedroom is ultimately the family’s undoing: online, the rise of incel culture and misogyny have bred young men — and in this case, children — capable of committing horrendous acts of violence.
—Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Mar. 2025
Otherwise, this war may lead to the undoing of Lebanon and its increasingly rare, if flawed model of societal diversity—with even greater regional aftershocks.
—Maha Yahya, Foreign Affairs, 20 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for undoing
Noun
The shift figured heavily in the recent financial undoing of CityPlace I. UnitedHealthcare, the tower’s marquee tenant, drastically cut its 350,000 square foot lease — nearly a third of the entire building — to just a little over 35,000 square feet, according to sources familiar with the matter.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 24 Mar. 2025
Avocados’ dependence upon megafaunal dispersion almost led to their undoing when all of these large mammals suddenly went extinct around 12,500 years ago due to human hunting, possibly also combined with environmental or climactic effects.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
His radicalization from the confines of his own bedroom is ultimately the family’s undoing: online, the rise of incel culture and misogyny have bred young men — and in this case, children — capable of committing horrendous acts of violence.
—Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Mar. 2025
Otherwise, this war may lead to the undoing of Lebanon and its increasingly rare, if flawed model of societal diversity—with even greater regional aftershocks.
—Maha Yahya, Foreign Affairs, 20 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for undoing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undoing
Noun
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What looks like productivity is often the downfall of those who refuse to delegate.—
Charles Fallon,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
-
Since then, numerous videos have been circulating on social media discussing the downfall and debating the comeback of waterbeds.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 May 2025
Verb
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That conflict of interest was paralyzing when the state auditor worked for the governor and Cabinet instead of for the Legislature.—
Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards,
Orlando Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2025
-
After her oxygen level reached a hundred per cent, the nurse delivered paralyzing medication.—
Ayesha Khan,
The New Yorker,
17 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Rodin Cars The big idea behind Rodin is to build cars without bothering about vehicle regulations – in stark contrast to F1 cars, which are subject to several rules around how they're put together.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Jan. 2025
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The city and state have also been ramping up efforts to engage troubled vagrants sleeping and sometimes bothering straphangers, connecting them with services and shelter and potentially involuntary treatment.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Now, some say artificial intelligence is ushering in a new era of creative destruction – but what exactly is being creatively destroyed, and what’s replacing it?—
Joe McKendrick,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
-
Nineteen months of war, triggered by the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks that killed approximately 1,200 people inside Israel and took some 250 captive, has resulted in over 50,000 Palestinian deaths and the destruction of much of Gaza—including the systems that fed residents during previous wars.—
Juwayriah Wright,
Time,
19 May 2025
Verb
-
Occupying and distracting the mind.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
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While most of the acting is wonderful (Wyle is predictably great, but so is just about all of the main cast), some patient-of-the-week players err towards distracting histrionics.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Overweight and obesity need to be treated safely and effectively to avoid that worrying forecast.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 Dec. 2024
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Conclusion While the Fed’s efforts to tame runaway inflation rates has helped market sentiments in the past, its recent hawkish outlook for 2025 is now worrying investors.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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But Forbes reported that unraveling TikTok from ByteDance will be all but impossible, and more recently, found that if TikTok is banned, Americans’ data could flow back to China.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
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Jack eventually saves Santa and defeats Oogie by unraveling his cloth, revealing a squirming pile of insects.—
Mike Miller,
People.com,
19 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Relapse is alluring, Bart is intimidating, and Son is mysterious.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2025
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While the market’s recent volatility can be intimidating, experts generally recommend investors focus on their long-term goals.—
Ana Teresa Solá,
CNBC,
14 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Undoing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undoing. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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