undermine
Americanverb (used with object)
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to injure or destroy by insidious activity or imperceptible stages, sometimes tending toward a sudden dramatic effect.
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to attack by indirect, secret, or underhand means; attempt to subvert by stealth.
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to make an excavation under; dig or tunnel beneath, as a military stronghold.
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to weaken or cause to collapse by removing underlying support, as by digging away or eroding the foundation.
verb
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(of the sea, wind, etc) to wear away the bottom or base of (land, cliffs, etc)
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to weaken gradually or insidiously
their insults undermined her confidence
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to tunnel or dig beneath
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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underminesimple
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underminessimple
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have underminedperfect
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has underminedperfect
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am underminingprogressive
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are underminingprogressive
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is underminingprogressive
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have been underminingperfect progressive
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has been underminingperfect progressive
Past
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underminedsimple
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had underminedperfect
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was underminingprogressive
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were underminingprogressive
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had been underminingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of undermine
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English underminen; see under-, mine 2
Explanation
To undermine literally means to dig a hole underneath something, making it likely to collapse. But we more often use the word to describe sabotage or the act of weakening someone else's efforts. Originally spelled with a ‘y’ instead of an ‘i’, undermine has Germanic roots and means "to weaken, hinder, or impair." Accidentally undermine the foundation of a house by digging a tunnel to China beneath it and you might be forgiven. Undermine your teacher’s authority by speaking out of turn and throwing spitballs and odds are you’ll get in trouble.
Vocabulary lists containing undermine
The Crucible
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Grade 9, List 2
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 4
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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.
He offered a note of optimism and suggested the president’s goal is to enhance, rather than undermine, the alliance.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2026
They feared widespread adoption of the energy-hungry technology would undermine their ambition to lead the fight against climate change.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2026
In Slate, Dara E. Purvis explains how those rulings undermine the legacy of one of the court’s liberal icons.
From Slate • Jun. 30, 2026
Washington has feared that ongoing tension between Israel and Hezbollah could undermine its peace deal with Iran, which includes a commitment to end fighting on "all fronts", including Lebanon.
From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026
She would be lonely and prey for people who sought to undermine her under the guise of being her friends.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
