undergo
Americanverb (used with object)
-
undergoes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
underwent,
past
-
undergone,
past participle
-
undergoing
present participle
verb
Usage
What is another way to say undergo? To undergo something is to be subjected to or to endure that thing. How does undergo differ from experience? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
undergosimple
-
undergoessimple
-
have undergoneperfect
-
has undergoneperfect
-
am undergoingprogressive
-
are undergoingprogressive
-
is undergoingprogressive
-
have been undergoingperfect progressive
-
has been undergoingperfect progressive
Past
-
underwentsimple
-
had undergoneperfect
-
was undergoingprogressive
-
were undergoingprogressive
-
had been undergoingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of undergo
First recorded before 1000; Middle English undergon, Old English undergān. See under-, go 1
Explanation
Undergo means "endure until something is complete." You might undergo testing to check your hearing or undergo special training if you want to volunteer at a homeless shelter. The verb undergo means "experience" or "undertake." It is often used to describe medical procedures, such as, an injured quarterback who will undergo shoulder surgery. The word implies that it is something that has to happen so that a positive change occurs, like healing in the case of the quarterback or greater communication skills for a hot-tempered person who undergoes anger management training.
Vocabulary lists containing undergo
Word Generation Weekly - Series 3
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Red Umbrella
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
“On Civil Disobedience” by Mohandas K. Gandhi
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
The changes, which will undergo public scrutiny, were proposed last year by Zeldin.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
For both actors, the script presented physical challenges in portraying the bodily changes their characters undergo over the years.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
Now, Garrett will undergo knee surgery and could be placed on injured reserve, a team official said Sunday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
Grant nominees undergo a rigorous national peer review process before being chosen.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 12, 2026
For teosinte to become a useful crop, it had to undergo drastic changes in its reproductive biology, to increase greatly its investment in seeds, and to lose those rock-like coverings of its seeds.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
The stakes are particularly high this time around as the company undergoes an artificial-intelligence transition with the upcoming rollout of its Apple Intelligence and agentic Siri.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
While Perez undergoes treatment, the family is trying to figure out what could have triggered the mental health crisis.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Konsa's departure to Arsenal is the latest high-profile exit at Villa Park this summer as Emery's squad undergoes drastic change.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
The process begins after a patient undergoes surgery to remove a high-risk melanoma tumor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
Grain by grain, molecule by molecule, carbohydrate fuel in the form of glucose is fed into this wheel; in its cyclic passage the fuel molecule undergoes fragmentation and a series of minute chemical changes.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
A new study in Earth and Planetary Physics is changing scientists' understanding of when Central America and South America underwent one of the major tectonic collisions that helped shape the Americas.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026
The L-shaped home, which boasts a Japanese garden, has been expanded over the years and underwent an interior renovation in the 1990s.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026
Scott submitted documents that reference a Sept. 4 surgery that Williamson underwent, medical records, and a text message from Williamson’s mother about the surgery.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
Walters, who hails from New Zealand, underwent several unsuccessful rounds of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy in Auckland.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
Gramps insisted on being with her while she underwent tests, though an intern had tried to dissuade him.
From "Walk Two Moons" by Sharon Creech
The president’s son had undergone treatment to better define his jawline for the occasion.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026
She has undergone similar training several times -- and said the lessons helped her confidence -- but noted she was "so envious of young people who can do all this so easily".
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
The Galaxy has undergone a roster overhaul this summer aimed at making the team more competitive ahead of a late-season playoff push.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
En route, they had undergone 'layering,' where the funds are split and moved through many digital wallets to obfuscate their paths.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
By then, Garfield had already undergone surgeries to deal with the raging infection in his body.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
Up until this point, he’s been working out, lifting and undergoing treatment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
No one appeared to be inside the mansion when the hole opened up, and the residence itself appeared to be undergoing work at the time.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
The Tyne Bridge is undergoing a major restoration project so large parts of it were covered in scaffolding.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
These "pre-mortem" tissue samples came from consenting patients undergoing heart bypass procedures at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026
Just as William’s skills had grown by leaps and bounds while he was overseas in France, Elizebeth’s talents were now undergoing a similar transformation.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
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.
