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
  • Tammy Faye stuck by Bakker, often with tears running down her mascara, even as many saw his downfall as a fitting symbol of the greed and hypocrisy of the 1980s.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Famously — or, more infamously in the wake of the company’s downfall — Holmes built Theranos on the false promise that hundreds of medical tests could be run from a single drop of blood.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The attacks and the air raid alerts that accompany them have severely disrupted life in the city, forcing millions to constantly seek shelter and paralyzing the capital’s businesses and transport networks.
    — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Medications used in lethal injections usually act in three steps -- first sedating the individual, then paralyzing them, before ending important bodily functions necessary for life.
    — Allen Chang, ABC News, 1 Oct. 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
  • Although television coverage suggested the capital had escaped the widespread structural destruction visible in communities closer to the epicenter, the earthquake caused major disruptions to daily life.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
  • In the heady satire about elites causing worldwide climate destruction, Cruise plays the titular Digger Rockwell, an out-of-touch oil tycoon.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 9 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
  • Maybe his conning can be curtailed someday, but the thought there’d ever be enough distracting chaos for a similarly lengthy follow-up is almost too much to bear.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 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 10 Oct. 2026.

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