Definition of undoingnext
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

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undoing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of undo
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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of undoing
Noun
Ultimately, the provisions meant to lock taxpayers in could be the wealth tax’s undoing. — Jared Walczak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 July 2026 Nadella, in a nutshell, is saying that heavily relying on proprietary AI software could also be a company’s undoing. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 29 July 2026
Verb
The appellate panel voiced serious doubts about undoing the consent decree at oral arguments in June. — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026 That jar of retinol on your nightstand only works if the rest of your evening habits are not undoing it. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for undoing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undoing
Noun
  • Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has been approved to move to a halfway house next year, ABC News reported, years after her stunning downfall that culminated in a conviction for defrauding investors while running her failed blood testing startup.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Failing to recognize that flaw has been the downfall of emperors and autocrats.
    — Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Since then, the uniquely Chicago gatherings have become massive, paralyzing traffic on Michigan Avenue and DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
    — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The Duxbury mom does not dispute the killings at their home in January 2023, which preceded a paralyzing suicide attempt from a second-floor window.
    — Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • The goal is not to solve what’s bothering you but to let the thoughts move through.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Lane Kiffin will stroll off the LSU bus later this afternoon, acting as if none of the noise is bothering him.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Sixty-five percent of Gazans agreed that armed resistance had failed to protect Palestinians and had instead brought destruction.
    — Michael Robbins, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Look past the 1951 setting, however, and the movie's anti-war message about humanity being on a crash course to destruction has never lost its poignancy.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Powell tried to open the stall door, and then began fondling himself, frightening the 11-year-old, who tried to leave, but Powell blocked him from getting out.
    — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 6 June 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • 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
  • The sets have too many doors, the scenes have a delirious number of extras and the actors yell their lines over the distracting clatter of crackling fireplaces, beeping machines and ticking clocks.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The text was crisp and easy to read, the matte display minimized distracting reflections, and the ink paper mode made reading comfortable.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 27 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Undoing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undoing. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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