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undermine
[ uhn-der-mahyn uhn-der-mahyn ]
verb (used with object)
- to injure or destroy by insidious activity or imperceptible stages, sometimes tending toward a sudden dramatic effect.
- to attack by indirect, secret, or underhand means; attempt to subvert by stealth.
- to make an excavation under; dig or tunnel beneath, as a military stronghold.
- to weaken or cause to collapse by removing underlying support, as by digging away or eroding the foundation.
undermine
/ ˌʌndəˈmaɪn /
verb
- (of the sea, wind, etc) to wear away the bottom or base of (land, cliffs, etc)
- to weaken gradually or insidiously
their insults undermined her confidence
- to tunnel or dig beneath
Derived Forms
- ˌunderˈminer, noun
Other Words From
- un·der·min·er noun
Word History and Origins
Origin of undermine1
Example Sentences
About a month ago, we laid out five ways that Republicans are making it harder to vote and more generally undermining the electoral process in 2020.
If we don’t, we run the risk of undermining public health in the US — and even more specifically undermining the entire vaccination program.
Suggesting that one party is better than the other to our allies runs the risk of undermining our national position and credibility when the other party takes power.
Cowan said they believe the initial changes aimed to undermine mail delivery and now workers fear more changes will be made to slow the Postal Service — and nobody will find out until it is too late.
“You can’t just chase dollars, otherwise we’d be undermining the authority” that GQ has when it comes to quality product recommendations, said Welch.
The most dangerous attacks are those that undermine your perceived strength.
The ACLU and its allies are trying to undermine the holiday with lawsuits and annoying billboards.
One lefty tweeter even complained that an invasion of icky American tourists would undermine “family values” in Cuba.
We “undermine” our nature every time we use glasses or medicine, after all.
His detractors tried to undermine his standing with Reagan, but he had support from an unlikely source—hard-line conservatives.
The influence of the Jews had helped also to undermine heathenism and thus to prepare the ground for Christianity.
While an attempt is made to undermine his claim to wisdom, it will incidentally appear that wisdom was ascribed to him.
You remember it, Dean, I thought him a villain when I learned how he was trying to undermine you.
With cynical cruelty, he set himself to insult, to undermine, to mutilate it.
Mr J. (still seeking, as I could see, to undermine me in his friend's favour).
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