undermining
Americannoun
-
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.
-
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.
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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
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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.
-
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
Etymology
Origin of undermining
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Moeller-Maersk in April, accusing it of undermining a long-term contract.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
The ICC expressed concern over those withdrawals, asserting that such countries risked undermining the collective pursuit of justice.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
Cedars-Sinai spokeswoman Sally Stewart added in an emailed statement that “changing the allocation formula risks undermining the system that Measure B was designed to protect and sustain.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
The committee also said there were "policy contradictions", with benefits cuts for people in training undermining the government's drive to encourage apprenticeships, describing the "lack of coherence" as "inexcusable".
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
This isn’t a movie about a girl who breaks up with her undermining boyfriend, she thought.
From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart
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.
