undercut
verb
un·der·cut
| \ ˌən-dər-ˈkət
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undercut;
undercutting
Definition of undercut
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: to cut away the underpart of
undercut a vein of ore
2
: to cut away material from the underside of (an object) so as to leave an overhanging portion in relief
3
: to offer to sell at lower prices than or to work for lower wages than (a competitor)
4
: to cut obliquely into (a tree) below the main cut and on the side toward which the tree will fall
5
: to strike (a ball) with a downward glancing blow so as to give a backspin or elevation to the shot
6
: to undermine or destroy the force, value, or effectiveness of
inflation undercuts consumer buying power
: to perform the action of cutting away beneath
undercut
noun
un·der·cut
| \ ˈən-dər-ˌkət
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Definition of undercut (Entry 2 of 2)
2
: the action or result of cutting away from the underside or lower part of something
3
: a notch cut in the base of a tree before felling to determine the direction of falling and to prevent splitting
Examples of undercut in a Sentence
Verb
They undercut the competing store by 10 percent. a law that undercuts the Constitution Her behavior undercuts her own credibility.
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
The mixed signals marked another sign of discord within the White House between Trump and his top security advisers, whose efforts to take a tougher stance on Russia have been repeatedly undercut by the President. — Simon Shuster / Kiev, Time, "Ukraine Is Struggling to Make Sense of Trump and Bolton's Conflicting Messages on Russia," 30 Aug. 2019 And so, argue McConnell’s critics, the Kentucky senator has made a point of undercutting the FEC. — oregonlive.com, "Mitch McConnell’s actions lead to Federal Election Commission paralysis 14 months before 2020 election," 28 Aug. 2019 The acrimony appears to be undercutting hopes of united action to protect the Amazon’s rainforests, a major absorber of carbon dioxide that is described as a critical defense against climate change. — Christopher Torchia, BostonGlobe.com, "Spurning Amazon aid, Brazil brings up Notre Dame fire," 27 Aug. 2019 Sprouts sold the cheapest non-organic produce, with its prices undercutting Walmart by about 13%. — Sarah Min, CBS News, "Which U.S. grocery chains offer the best value?," 9 Aug. 2019 My studies show that enforcement actions that are perceived by immigrants to be arbitrary, discriminatory or unjust breed governmental distrust and undercut their confidence in the legitimacy of the law and legal authorities. — Emily Ryo, The Conversation, "How ICE enforcement has changed under the Trump administration," 29 July 2019 The more buoyant freshwater rises to the surface and then undercuts, or erodes the glacier face. — Jenny Howard, National Geographic, "Alaskan glaciers melting 100 times faster than previously thought," 25 July 2019 The Linnes and two other men use their hands to carefully probe the muddy creek bottom and undercuts along the bank. — Tim Evans, Indianapolis Star, "Indiana noodling: Inside the Hoosier tradition of catching snapping turtles by hand," 14 July 2019 The House’s dysfunction under Mr. Boehner undercut the GOP’s bid to retake the White House in 2012. — Kimberley A. Strassel, WSJ, "Pelosi’s Prima Donnas," 11 July 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Eagland cut Theron's hair into a precise undercut in the back. — Maya Allen, Marie Claire, "Only Charlize Theron Can Make a Bowl Cut Look This Chic," 3 Sep. 2019 This actually isn't the first time Berry has revealed an artsy undercut. — Marci Robin, Allure, "Halle Berry Just Debuted the Coolest Undercut Art," 16 May 2019 Tons of celebrities have rocked undercuts over the years—including Kylie Jenner, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Cara Delevingne, and Natalie Dormer. — Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, "Selena Gomez Just Shaved Her Head," 23 Apr. 2018 An undercut is also a cool and easy way to add spice to just about any updo. — Rebecca Norris, Allure, "15 Undercut Ideas That Are Going to Give You Major Hair Inspo," 12 Apr. 2018 Jason Sudeikis and Ed Harris do strong work playing harshly estranged, somehow pulling us close to their off-putting characters before forced sentiment in the late going undercuts director Mark Raso’s film. — Tom Russo, BostonGlobe.com, "Ed Harris and Jason Sudeikis clash as father and son in ‘Kodachrome’," 18 Apr. 2018 See: glitter lip art, terranium eyes, bejeweled undercuts, and now? — Kelsi Zimmerman, Marie Claire, "Chic or Clownish? Pom Pom Makeup Is Now a Thing," 23 May 2017 The Justice Department’s move undercuts perhaps the most critical argument by advocates in the Texas case. — The Washington Post, Twin Cities, "Justice Department changes its position in high-profile Texas voter ID case," 27 Feb. 2017 The cut made the most of Taraji's previous undercut, with her kinks at full freedom. — Rachel Nussbaum, Glamour, "Taraji P. Henson's Natural Curls Are Everything, As Is the Reason Behind Them," 26 June 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'undercut.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for undercut
undercut
verb
English Language Learners Definition of undercut
: to offer to sell things or work for a lower cost than (another person or company)
: to make (something) weaker or less effective
See the full definition for undercut in the English Language Learners Dictionary
undercut
noun
un·der·cut
| \ ˈən-dər-ˌkət
\
\
Medical Definition of undercut
: the part of a tooth lying between the gum and the points of maximum outward bulge on the tooth's surfaces