undermine

verb

un·​der·​mine ˌən-dər-ˈmīn How to pronounce undermine (audio)
ˈən-dər-ˌmīn
undermined; undermining; undermines

transitive verb

1
: to subvert or weaken insidiously or secretly
trying to undermine his political rivals
2
: to weaken or ruin by degrees
3
: to wash away supporting material from under
4
: to excavate the earth beneath : form a mine under : sap
Choose the Right Synonym for undermine

weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, undermine, sap, disable mean to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor.

weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.

a disease that weakens the body's defenses

enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

a poor diet undermines your health
drugs had sapped his ability to think

disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

Examples of undermine in a Sentence

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.
Recent Examples on the Web As Israeli troops aim to take control of the Gaza-Egypt border crossing, officials in Cairo warn that the move would undermine the 1979 peace treaty. Yasmeen Abutaleb, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 Federal employees should not undermine President Biden’s agenda or any other future president. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 Heat exposure lowers labor productivity, which undermines many people's incomes and in turn their ability to sustain good mental and physical health. Rob Reddick, WIRED, 13 Mar. 2024 Some accuse Zhong of undermining his former partner, Zong. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 12 Mar. 2024 Siegel says Congress is threatening to undermine her mission to document a real public health issue — the lack of available restrooms in public spaces — and to help people from around the world find relief fast. Brian Fung, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 The nationwide protests in 2019 drew people of all faiths who said the law undermines India’s foundation as a secular nation. Sheikh Saaliq, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2024 In an opinion column, the professor emeritus at NYU’s Stern School of Business argued the America First protectionist agenda would spark new trade wars—both with rivals and allies—while more tax breaks would undermine investor credibility in the dollar. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024 Commentary and opinions Editorial: California can’t let big polluters win by undermining climate change disclosure laws. Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'undermine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Time Traveler
The first known use of undermine was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near undermine

Cite this Entry

“Undermine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undermine. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

undermine

verb
un·​der·​mine ˌən-dər-ˈmīn How to pronounce undermine (audio)
1
: to dig out or wear away the earth beneath
undermine a wall
2
: to weaken or ruin secretly or gradually
undermine a government
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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