undercut

American  

[uhn-der-kuht, uhn-der-kuht, uhn-der-kuht] / ˌʌn dərˈkʌt, ˈʌn dərˌkʌt, ˈʌn dərˌkʌt /

verb (used with object)

undercuts, present (3rd person singular) undercut, past participle, past undercutting present participle

1. to cut under or beneath.

2. to cut away material from so as to leave a portion overhanging, as in carving or sculpture.

3. to offer goods or services at a lower price or rate than (a competing price or rate) or than that of (a competitor).

4. to weaken or destroy the impact or effectiveness of; undermine.

5. Golf. to hit (the ball) so as to cause a backspin.

6. Tennis. to slice (the ball) using an underhand motion.

7. to cut (a sound recording) with grooves too shallow or with insufficient lateral motion of the stylus.

8. Forestry. to cut a notch in (a tree) in order to control the direction in which the tree is to fall.

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verb (used without object)

undercuts, present (3rd person singular) undercut, past participle, past undercutting present participle

1. to undercut material, a competitor, a ball, etc.

noun

1. a cut or a cutting away underneath.

2. a notch cut in a tree to determine the direction in which the tree is to fall and to prevent splitting.

3. a haircut for men or women in which one or both sides and often the back are shaved or cut very short, leaving longer hair at the top of the head.

   an undercut with a side part.

4. Golf. a backspin.

5. Tennis. a slice or cut made with an underhand motion.

6. Chiefly British. a tenderloin of beef including the fillet.

7. Dentistry. a tooth cavity prepared with a wide base for anchoring a filling securely.

adjective

1. having or resulting from an undercut.

undercut British  

verb

1. to charge less than (a competitor) in order to obtain trade

2. to cut away the under part of (something)

3. sport to hit (a ball) in such a way as to impart backspin

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noun

1. the act or an instance of cutting underneath

2. a part that is cut away underneath

3. a tenderloin of beef, including the fillet

4. forestry a notch cut in a tree trunk, to ensure a clean break in felling

5. sport a stroke that imparts backspin to the ball

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

• undercutting
  present
• undercut
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• undercut
  simple
• undercuts
  simple
• have undercut
  perfect
• has undercut
  perfect
• am undercutting
  progressive
• are undercutting
  progressive
• is undercutting
  progressive
• have been undercutting
  perfect progressive
• has been undercutting
  perfect progressive

Past

• undercut
  simple
• had undercut
  perfect
• was undercutting
  progressive
• were undercutting
  progressive
• had been undercutting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will undercut
  simple
• will have undercut
  perfect
• will be undercutting
  progressive
• will have been undercutting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of undercut

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English undercutten “to cut down”; see under-, cut

Example Sentences

Some research, in fact, suggests interviews often aren’t just useless—they can undercut what useful information about job candidates there is.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026

It will take a lot for anyone here or abroad to undercut a multitrillion-dollar empire like SpaceX.

From Slate • Jun. 15, 2026

“Congressional Democratic support of legislation that would undercut Democratic governors and attorneys general is a long shot, in our view,” wrote Stifel Chief Washington Policy Strategist Brian Gardner in a research note this week.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

“Both SPX and QQQ closed down from the opening print and Monday’s close sets up for a probable test and undercut of last Friday’s lows,” said Newton in his note published late Monday.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

The sound of his triumphant laugh is infuriating, and carelessly, I go for an undercut that he immediately blocks.

From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray

Related Words

• destabilize
• diminish
• lessen
• thwart
• undermine