sabotage
Americannoun
-
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.
-
any undermining of a cause.
verb (used with object)
-
sabotages,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sabotaged,
past participle, past
-
sabotaging
present participle
noun
-
the deliberate destruction, disruption, or damage of equipment, a public service, etc, as by enemy agents, dissatisfied employees, etc
-
any similar action or behaviour
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
sabotagesimple
-
sabotagessimple
-
have sabotagedperfect
-
has sabotagedperfect
-
am sabotagingprogressive
-
are sabotagingprogressive
-
is sabotagingprogressive
-
have been sabotagingperfect progressive
-
has been sabotagingperfect progressive
Past
-
sabotagedsimple
-
had sabotagedperfect
-
was sabotagingprogressive
-
were sabotagingprogressive
-
had been sabotagingperfect progressive
Future
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
Explanation
Sabotage isn't very nice: It's when you ruin or disrupt something by messing up a part of it on purpose. Loosening the blades on your competitor's ice skates would definitely be considered sabotage. Sabotage comes from the French word saboter, which literally means “walk noisily.” That's funny, because the last thing you'd want to do when committing an act of sabotage is stomp around and get caught. It’s believed that sabotage came into use in 1910 as a noun, and then later in 1918 as a verb. Apparently, people only became so cruel in the last century or so.
Vocabulary lists containing sabotage
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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.
See Examples For:
Recognizing its importance to Germany's nuclear ambitions, Allied forces targeted the plant through sabotage and bombing operations.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
Grynkewich elaborated what he called his "theory of victory" to defeat an armed attack on the alliance as worries surge over what Western officials call a "hybrid" campaign of sabotage and interference by Moscow.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
Under another effort called “Fortress America,” every U.S. base will have its own power supply that is independent of the national grid and, thus, not vulnerable to sabotage or cyberattack.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
That’s according to the veteran stock-market strategist Jim Paulsen, who thinks tightening financial conditions may sabotage that usually fertile stretch.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
All subsequent crimes against the Party, all treacheries, acts of sabotage, heresies, deviations, sprang directly out of his teaching.
From "1984" by George Orwell
Ms. Moyer-Nocchi repeatedly, bewilderingly sabotages her considerable achievements by not bothering to get small but significant particulars right.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026
“Psychological research has shown us that panic amplifies helplessness and sabotages rational thought,” Michael Valdez, an expert in neurology and addictive behaviors, told Salon.
From Salon ● Apr. 16, 2025
It seems to mean well, even as it sabotages investor performance.
From Slate ● Feb. 19, 2024
That, said Peña, would be a violation of sovereignty and, as such, a condition that sabotages potential progress.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 6, 2023
"Then the Earthman—I mean the Earthman who sabotages the rockets—has to be a part of the technical staff," Rick said.
From The Scarlet Lake Mystery by Harold L. (Harold Leland) Goodwin
Africa's largest oil producer has increased production in recent years in part by cracking down on theft while also hiring former militants who sabotaged pipelines to act as security.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
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 ● Feb. 18, 2026
Grantham’s latest bearish case is that U.S. stocks could be sabotaged this year by an overheated IPO market.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 17, 2026
Todt died in an air crash shortly afterward, leading to suspicions that his plane had been sabotaged, though these have never been proved.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 24, 2025
If she sabotaged Kaz’s mission, would it cost Matthias his pardon?
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
Andrew Tate’s former publicist says her client couldn’t stop sabotaging his own strategy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
Barrot said the attacks targeted government ministries, companies, and service operators, with the aim "either of capturing information or sabotaging operations, for example rail infrastructure, as was the case in Poland".
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
But McLaughlin did not merely alienate the judiciary; she consistently undermined the administration’s legal arguments, sabotaging lawyers’ efforts to cover up unlawful conduct by boasting about it on social media.
From Slate ● Feb. 18, 2026
In a statement, Prince Harry's spokesperson said the claims were "pure invention fed, one can only assume, by sources intent on sabotaging any reconciliation between father and son".
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2025
Raymie thought about safecracking and sabotaging and the Flying Elefantes.
From "Raymie Nightingale" by Kate DiCamillo
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
