undermine
Americanverb (used with object)
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to injure or destroy by insidious activity or imperceptible stages, sometimes tending toward a sudden dramatic effect.
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to attack by indirect, secret, or underhand means; attempt to subvert by stealth.
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to make an excavation under; dig or tunnel beneath, as a military stronghold.
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to weaken or cause to collapse by removing underlying support, as by digging away or eroding the foundation.
verb
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(of the sea, wind, etc) to wear away the bottom or base of (land, cliffs, etc)
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to weaken gradually or insidiously
their insults undermined her confidence
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to tunnel or dig beneath
Other Word Forms
- underminer noun
Etymology
Origin of undermine
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English underminen; under-, mine 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For Citi’s global strategy team, this crippling uncertainty undermines the argument for an inflection point upwards in European corporate earnings and so it downgrades its recommendation on continental stocks to neutral.
From MarketWatch
She warned: "Those who want to undermine or destroy the party will be dealt with firmly and fairly."
From BBC
He understood that many forms of racial prejudice could undermine his work.
From Salon
"Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations," they said, reiterating that they "stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland".
From BBC
"Microplastics are undermining this natural shield against climate change. Tackling plastic pollution is now part of the fight against global warming."
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
