undermining

[uhn-der-mahy-ning]

noun

1. the act or process of injuring, attacking, or destroying something or someone indirectly or by imperceptible degrees, often leading to a dramatic collapse.

   The undermining of Scottish Gaelic as a viable language resulted not from decrees, but from a gradual weakening of independent Scottish institutions.

2. the act or process of weakening something or causing it to collapse by removing its underlying support, as by erosion.

   During the heavy rains, blocked sewers caused the flooding of the basement and the undermining of the wall by water.

3. the act of digging or tunneling underneath something, as a military stronghold.

   The siege works were now close enough to allow the undermining of some of the bastions of the fortress.

adjective

1. weakening something or someone gradually or indirectly.

   Seating students in rows, so they cannot see each other’s faces, has an undermining effect on their engagement.

2. digging or tunneling underneath something, or removing or eroding its underlying support.

   The land along the shoreline collapsed because of undermining waves and currents.

Other Word Forms

• underminingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of undermining¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; undermin(e) ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses; undermin(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses

Example Sentences

While she said ministers supported the bill's "ambition", she said they could not support it citing "profound legal, practical and resource concerns that risk undermining service delivery rather than enhancing it".

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Hungary's nationalist leader Orban has been at loggerheads with Brussels since his return to power in 2010 over what the EU says is his undermining of democratic institutions and divisive foreign policy stance.

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Or an auctioneer may lower its bid minimum in response to competitors, potentially undermining prices without the knowledge of the publishers providing the inventory.

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Even so, scholars say Beijing remains cautious about how to harness populist patriotism without triggering excessive outbursts of sentiment or undermining the party’s authority.

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Lawmakers on the left, meanwhile, took aim at Lecornu for sticking with Macron loyalists, undermining his promise for a break with the past.

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Related Words

• subversion