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

At the time, law enforcement officials emphasized that North Korea's hacking operations were primarily profit-driven—a stark contrast to nations like Russia, China and Iran, which typically focus on espionage, intellectual property theft or undermining democratic systems. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024

Drake then accused Doughty of treason and undermining his command. —Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024

These errors create substantial barriers for patients seeking care and undermine the effectiveness of network adequacy regulations. —Tammy Hawes, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

The judge is going to go to work to try to undermine her in a number of ways. —Angelique Jackson, Variety, 13 Dec. 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