1 undermine | Definition of undermine

undermine

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

Definition of undermine

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

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Choose the Right Synonym for undermine

weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, undermine, sap, cripple, 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 cripple implies causing a serious loss of functioning power through damaging or removing an essential part or element. crippled by arthritis 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

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson took the extraordinary step of suspending Parliament next month, undermining efforts to prevent Britain from crashing out of the European Union on October 31. — Matt Ford, The New Republic, "The Great Lie of the Right-Wing Populists," 30 Aug. 2019 But other teams could simply just wait until those players are cut from Miami’s roster, undermining their potential trade value. — Safid Deen, sun-sentinel.com, "Sell high, buy low? Laremy Tunsil, and other Miami Dolphins trade rumors ahead of the 2019 regular season," 24 Aug. 2019 Any attempt to undermine this role, such as recent proposals to tax it, are likely to intensify the demand for safe assets and further drive down already-low interest rates. — David Beckworth, National Review, "Why the U.S. Dollar Will Remain Strong," 22 Aug. 2019 One looming question is whether a legal battle rooted partly in disagreements over amendment and approval of the 2018-2019 budget will impact or undermine the process of approving the 2019-2020 budget. — al, "Mobile council files counterclaim to Stimpson lawsuit," 22 Aug. 2019 The working-class household was thus not only isolated from the outside, but also undermined from within. — Don Pinnock, Quartz Africa, "Cape Town’s bloody gang violence is deeply rooted in its racist history," 16 Aug. 2019 However Brexit plays out, analysts said Tuesday’s figures undermine the case for a rate cut from the Bank of England as higher wages can boost inflation, which could already be trending higher as the lower pound raises import costs. — Washington Post, "UK wages rising at fastest pace in 11 years," 13 Aug. 2019 Yet, there are new institutional challenges to that dominant view: the supreme court constitution bench decisions in the privacy rights and LGBTQ cases undermine the uniformist agenda in remarkable ways. — Salman Khurshid, Quartz India, "Rumours, suspicions, fears: What Indian Muslims have battled since Independence," 26 July 2019 But many people who start PrEP do not stick with it or take the pills only intermittently, undermining its effectiveness. — Jon Cohen, Science | AAAS, "Simpler HIV treatment and prevention strategies take center stage," 24 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'undermine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of undermine

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

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More Definitions for undermine

undermine

verb

English Language Learners Definition of undermine

: to make (someone or something) weaker or less effective usually in a secret or gradual way

undermine

verb
un·​der·​mine | \ ˌən-dər-ˈmīn How to pronounce undermine (audio) \
undermined; undermining

Kids Definition of undermine

1 : to dig out or wear away the supporting earth beneath Erosion undermined the wall.
2 : to weaken secretly or little by little Their criticisms undermine my confidence.

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