sabotage

American  

[sab-uh-tahzh, sab-uh-tahzh] / ˈsæb əˌtɑʒ, ˌsæb əˈtɑʒ /

noun

1. any underhand interference with production, work, etc., in a plant, factory, etc., as by enemy agents during wartime or by employees during a trade dispute.

2. any undermining of a cause.

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verb (used with object)

sabotaged, sabotaging

1. to injure or attack by sabotage.

   Synonyms:

   cripple, vandalize, disable

sabotage British  

/ ˈsæbəˌtɑːʒ /

noun

1. the deliberate destruction, disruption, or damage of equipment, a public service, etc, as by enemy agents, dissatisfied employees, etc

2. any similar action or behaviour

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verb

1. (tr) to destroy, damage, or disrupt, esp by secret means

Other Word Forms

• unsabotaged adjective

Etymology

Origin of sabotage

First recorded in 1865–70; from French, from sabot(er) “to botch,” originally, “to harry, shake up, strike” (verb derivative of sabot sabot ) + -age -age

Example Sentences

An Estonian court last week convicted a Russian agent of spying, and authorities say he was involved in acts of sabotage.

From The Wall Street Journal

The underwater cables that keep it connected to the internet are susceptible to sabotage.

From The Wall Street Journal

According to police, the suspect is believed to have sabotaged the payment system via a cyber attack, getting the system to authorise his transaction after entering only one cent as the charged amount.

From BBC

Grantham’s latest bearish case is that U.S. stocks could be sabotaged this year by an overheated IPO market.

From MarketWatch

Ms. Moyer-Nocchi repeatedly, bewilderingly sabotages her considerable achievements by not bothering to get small but significant particulars right.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• cripple
• destroy
• disrupt
• hamper
• hinder
• obstruct
• subvert
• torpedo
• undermine
• vandalize
• wreck