undermine

verb

un·​der·​mine ˌən-dər-ˈmīn 

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

This weakens intergenerational connections and undermines both societal and workplace productivity. —Sheila Callaham, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024

Yet the video’s detailed mimicking of ballots in a key county in this year’s presidential race was a wake-up call that demonstrated how committed foreign actors are to undermining faith in the U.S. voting processin the critical stretch before voting concludes. —Ali Swenson, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2024

This case tries to use Comstock to undermine the FDA’s authority, but the ancient law could also be used to curb access, regardless of the outcome of this case. —Lisa Jarvis, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024

Turns out, China may be collaborating with the bad guys to undermine US interests, and Joe, ever the patriot, must find a lioness to infiltrate and take out the cartel leader. —Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Kids Definition

undermine

verb

un·​der·​mine ˌən-dər-ˈmīn 

1

: to dig out or wear away the earth beneath

undermine a wall

2

: to weaken or ruin secretly or gradually

undermine a government